


Honey and Spice

by caterinawrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Background Adrinette - Freeform, Canon Divergent, Chloè redemption, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Other classmate ships mentioned, Slow Burn, Someone gets punched, Trixx is a potty mouth, alternate love square, chlolya, happy gay ending, minor violence in first chapter, nothing too crazy, royalfox, soft pride and prejudice au, someone help chloe, they're lesbeeans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-09 16:18:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12891783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterinawrites/pseuds/caterinawrites
Summary: When Chloe goes too far, Alya won’t stand for her injustice any longer, and a split-second fit of rage finds both girls suspended. Upon returning home, both girls find mysterious boxes that contain magical creatures and jewelry that will transform them into superheroes! Although both girls stumble at first, they eventually find their footing by relying on each other and their more experienced mentors, and while their superhero personas get along swimmingly, they still butt heads as civilians. Can the two learn to put aside their differences like Rena Rouge and Queen Bee, or will their pride and prejudice conquer all?





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Yoooo! Welcome to my BB piece! I had a super whole lot of fun writing this and hanging out in the BB discord where I made a lot of new friends, so I am dedicating this fic to them. I'm not gonna tag all of you though cause there's so many of you, and I don't wanna forget anyone! Now, this fic does come with a few prefacing comments from me:  
> 1\. This fic was conceptualized, started, and completed before a bulk of the season 2 episodes were released, so it's not going to be canon compliant.  
> 2\. Yes, it's gay, don't ask or complain. There are tags, and you knew what you were clicking on.  
> 3\. A lot of the things I twist in this story are from my own brain. I have written quite a few Chloe redemptions at this point, and I like to mix things up each time I do it and put a different spin on her character. If you don't like this one, then sorry? Go try one of the other Chloe redemptions I've done. She comes in a lot of flavors here.  
> 4\. My responder had to drop out before the end due to life being what it is, but she was still super sweet and did complete a few things for me that I will be including in this fic if I can figure out how to embed them. Her tumblr is https://1deouvi.tumblr.com/tagged/my%20art so go show her some love, she's still very young and smol.
> 
> My beta for this fic was one of our lovely mods, and her tumblr is http://girraffepancakes.tumblr.com/ so go show her some love too!
> 
> A little background on this fic, I came up with this idea in the same place that I came up with my idea for To Tame a Queen: the shower. Why I get a lot of thoughts and ideas for Chloe fics in the shower, I will probably never know, but I came up with the idea for the first chapter in the shower, and then built upon it for this challenge. It's not my super best work because I did only have a few months to write it, and this was a pretty intense semester of college for me, but I'm mostly happy overall with how it turned out. Would I add more things if I had time? Yeah, but I think no one is ever completely happy with something they create. It's just part of life. So, without further adieu, here is my BB piece, and I hope you all enjoy!

 Chapter 1

It was a sunny day at Collége Françoise-Dupont, when Alya Cesaire’s life changed forever.

Students were given the choice of extra-curricular activities, and on rare occasions, some of the classes gathered together to accomplish a common goal. This week’s goal combined the art students and PE students as they set up for the basketball game taking place in the courtyard later that week. Kim and Ivan worked together to move bleachers into place while Rose and Nathaniel worked diligently painting banners. The students were given a number of assignments to complete, and each of them were working hard on their tasks while chatting casually amongst each other.

Or rather, _most_ students were working.

Chloe scrolled through her phone aimlessly while Sabrina painted their banner, not wanting to dirty her pants by kneeling on the floor or moving objects around. Of course, everyone was quite used to Chloe’s antics by now, but it still served to irritate some individuals.

“Ugh, can you believe her?” Alya groaned, glancing up from the banner she was helping Marinette paint.

“What? Chloe doing nothing while Sabrina does all her work for her? Yeah, I can believe that,” Marinette replied, rolling her eyes.

“Someone needs to knock that girl down a peg. She’s got an excuse to get out of everything.” Alya shook her head and focused back in on their assignment. “Must be nice being so rich that you get away with everything.”

“Tell me about it,” Marinette said with a snort. “I try my best to forget about Chloe most days. Makes life less stressful.”

“True. It’s just frustrating.”

Despite Marinette’s casual dismissal of Chloe’s behavior, Alya continued to cast sidelong glances at her, becoming more vexed each time she spotted Chloe standing around or ordering someone else to do something for her. After sometime, they finally finished their posters and stood around chatting as they awaited the start of their next class. Alya was prattling on about the latest on Ladybug while Marinette entertained her with a politely invested smile. Had she been paying attention, she might have been able to prevent it, but the one time she finally took her eyes off of Chloe, she finally lifted a hand to do something, and it wasn’t anything helpful at all. No, because Chloe didn’t do helpful, in fact, if it wasn’t demeaning someone in some way, Chloe wanted nothing to do with it, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone when Chloe “tripped” carrying a bucket of paint that sloshed onto Marinette, soaking her from head to toe in bright red paint.

“Oops,” Chloe cooed, pressing a hand to her mouth to hide her smirk.

“You did that on purpose!” Alya accused, taking a couple steps to loom over her, but Chloe folded her arms haughtily over her chest and cocked a hip.

“It was an accident, and I think any administrator will agree,” She sneered.

“You little-”

“Alya, it’s fine, really,” Marinette insisted, holding up defensive hands.

“Nah, get her back, Mari!” Kim chanted, followed by several more encouraging protests, but Marinette simply examined the damage and shook her head.

“No. Chloe isn’t worth my time,” She said with a finality that silenced the room. With a disappointed glare and a heavy sigh, she turned and waddled off to the locker rooms.

“You’re lucky Marinette’s a bigger person than you,” Alya growled.

“Puh-lease, like I care. She should be thanking me. The paint covers up how ugly her outfit is.” Chloe waved her away, and Alya’s fists clenched at her sides.

“Yeah, well, unfortunately for you, Marinette’s a bigger person than both of us,” She said coldly before decking Chloe square in her jaw with a satisfying pop. She toppled over to the ground and cupped a hand over her mouth before a series of shrieks erupted from her throat.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Several classmates cheered as Alya shook out her tingling fist just as several teachers broke through the crowd and grabbed onto them.

Chloe’s glare could cut steel as she wiped blood from her mouth while they both got toted up to the principal’s office, but Alya felt no remorse for her actions and smiled smugly as her lip began to swell while they awaited punishment. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t her smartest idea, but someone had to do it sooner or later. She was more than content to be that someone.

“You girls should know better than to fight on school grounds! What were you thinking?” Mr. Damocles hissed angrily.

“Sir, I am completely innocent in this situation! _She_ attacked _me_ ,” Chloe said, pointing a well-manicured finger.

“After you purposefully spilled paint on Marinette,” Alya objected, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It was an accident,” Chloe huffed, sticking her nose up in the opposite direction.

“Yeah, just like my fist _accidentally_ collided with your mouth.” Alya rolled her eyes.

“Enough!” Mr. Damocles shouted. “Both of you are suspended for the rest of the week!”

“But I didn’t do anything-”

“Both of you, Miss Bourgeois! Now get out of my office!” He pointed to the door, and Alya stood up with a sigh, followed closely thereafter by Chloe.

“Thanks a lot! Now my perfect record is ruined, and it’s all _your_ fault!” She accused as Alya made her way down the stairs.

“Yeah, we’re finally even for how you ruined mine six months ago,” Alya snorted. “Looks like money can’t buy you out of everything.”

“Don’t think you’re getting out of this just yet! My daddy will make sure you cover the cost of any permanent damages to my face!”

“Oh, please. It’s a bruise lip, you’ll live,” Alya said, watching her stomp off to the front doors, frantically dialing what Alya could only guess was her father. She veered toward the locker rooms to check on Marinette but found them empty. Pursing her lips, she pulled out her phone as she opened her locker and sent her bff a quick text to make sure she was okay.

_so what’s the damage?_

While she waited for a reply, she packed her shoulder bag with all of her school essentials for the week then shut her locker with a sigh. Being suspended for a second time because of Chloe somehow didn’t vex her as much as it did the first time. Probably because Chloe at least got what she deserved this time, so she would face whatever punishment awaited her at home. As she headed out through the front doors, her phone buzzed in her pocket with a reply from Marinette.

Mari _: Actually, other than the paint still behind my ears, I’m great! u’ll never guess what happened after I washed all the paint out of my hair_

_Wat?_

Mari: _Adrien was waiting outside the locker room to make sure i was ok!_

_Seriously? Girl, please tell me u spoke real words to him._

Mari: _yes! as a matter of fact, i did. he’s so sweet, alya! he said he admires how i turned the other cheek with chloe and he offered to be my bodyguard because she would never hurt him! he even walked me back to class. i felt like i was floating_

_M, i’m so proud of u!_

Mari: _thanks! so what’s the deal with u? i heard u punched chloe in the face??_

_Yeahhh…_

Mari: _omg, alya! ur insane! did you get in trouble?_

_yeah, i got suspended for the rest of the week, but so did chloe ;)_

Mari: _that’s awesome! and sad. i’ll keep u in the loop about school and Adrien_

_ty i’m on my way home to get another lecture, so i’ll talk to u later if they don’t take my phone_

Mari: _good luck!_

Alya sighed and tucked her phone away in her pocket as she boarded the subway, rolling her neck as she mentally prepared herself for the inevitable speech she was going to get from her parents. Before coming to Françoise-Dupont, Alya never got in trouble, but she couldn’t just stand back and let someone walk all over people like that, especially not one of her friends. Someone needed to step up and defend people, like Chat Noir and Ladybug did, and if suspension and lectures meant that Chloe thought twice before messing with someone again, then she would happily be the scapegoat for everyone else.

Still, it did kind of bum her out that she was being treated like the bad guy, but she supposed misunderstood heroes were still heroes in the end. She locked eyes with a small old man standing across the aisle from her, and they exchanged polite nods before she reached for her phone again. While scrolling through her blog, she happened to glance up again at some point to see a young boy reach into the old man’s pocket and pull out what appeared to be his wallet, and her jaw clenched in irritation.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” She called loudly, alerting several other passengers and startling the boy into dropping the wallet. The train came to a stop just in time, and the boy dashed through the doors before anyone could catch him. Alya clicked her tongue and stooped down to retrieve the man’s wallet.

“Thank you very much, Miss,” He said gratefully. “Here, let me give you something.”

“Oh, no thank you, sir. I’m just glad I could help,” She insisted, waving him away. “Just be careful.”

“Same to you.” He nodded politely as she stepped off and headed up the stairs back to the street with a smile on her face. That felt good, and with the mood she was in that day, that boy was lucky he got away when he did.

When she arrived back at home, the flat was quiet, so she grabbed an apple from the kitchen and slumped off to her room. Setting her bag on the floor next to her desk, she bit off a chunk of the apple and fell onto her bed with a groan. At least some good had come from Chloe dumping paint on Marinette. It got Adrien interested in Marinette, and if Alya hadn’t punched Chloe, that old man would have lost his wallet. Fate had a funny way of working out like that sometimes, she guessed.

Of course, no amount of justice could save her from being grounded the second her parents walked in the door, and Alya took the fallout with her head held high. It was all the usual stuff, “we’re so disappointed,” and “we raised you better than this.” Typical good parenting stuff that every hero had to deal with. Fortunately, she managed to weasel her phone out of grounding so long as she kept the house clean while everyone was out during the day, so she supposed life wouldn’t be _that_ miserable throughout the week.

Though, as she soon found out, her week was about to become _a lot_ more interesting than she’d expected.

It all started when she got out of the shower later that evening and returned to her room, blotting water from her hair with a towel. With a long breath, she flopped into her desk chair and pulled out her homework, figuring she may as well finish what she had now. As she set her books down on the table, she noticed a small box resting in the center of it, and Alya picked it up curiously. Did it belong to one of her siblings? It certainly didn’t look like anything they owned, and something about the engravings made it seem much older than it looked. Cocking a brow, she lifted the lid only to find herself blinded by orange light as a small creature materialized right in front of her eyes and stretched. Alya stared at it slack jawed for a moment as it blinked open its eyes and examined her with equal intrigue for a moment before it finally spoke.

[](https://www.flickr.com/gp/157791278@N03/5z7JgN)  
[](https://www.flickr.com/gp/157791278@N03/u6fB3b)  
[](https://www.flickr.com/gp/157791278@N03/E7H9xt)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, those images were all my sweet responder was able to complete. Two of them are actually gifs, so maybe I'll share them on my tumblr later or maybe she'll upload them and I'll reblog them. Either way. Hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and be sure to follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat). Also please go read and support all of the other works in this collection! A lot of my friends wrote pieces, and we've all worked super hard over the last several months, so spread the love!


	2. Hero or Villain

Chapter 2

“Daddy! The most ridiculous thing happened at school! I need you to fix it!” Chloe shouted into the receiver as soon as her father picked up. “That nasty Alya girl assaulted me!”

“Oh, yes, pumpkin, I just got off the phone with the school officials, and I will _not_ stand for it! I have a very important meeting to attend, but I will be marching straight to the school as soon as it’s finished, okay, darling?” He assured her, and Chloe smiled triumphantly, wincing a little as her jaw twinged.

“Thank you, Daddykins. Can you send a limo to pick me up?” She said sweetly.

“Already taken care of, sweetheart. Go home and get some rest,” He stated as an off-white limousine rolled up to the curb.

“See you tonight. Love you lots!” She made kissy sounds before hanging up and crawling inside the car with a sigh.

She pulled out her compact and assessed the damage to her lip. It was swollen, though somehow the skin didn’t split, and it didn’t look like anything that would cause lasting damage. Still, it was going to be awful walking around with a purple smudge on her face, though she could use it to her advantage to turn people against Alya. She waved the idea away. It would never work because too many people saw what happened. After all, she hadn’t really been trying to hide the fact that she dumped paint on Marinette on purpose. That girl had been a little too mouthy with her lately, so she needed to put her back in her place, though it seemed like she dumped paint on the wrong one…

Snapping her mirror shut, she tossed it back into her bag and leaned against the seat with a moan. What she would give to unwind right about now. Alya had her all tense, and she supposed there was nothing stopping her from engaging in a little retail therapy…

“Jean Claude, I need to touch expensive things. Can you bring me into town?” She requested over her speaker.

“Of course, mademoiselle,” He responded, changing course.

While he drove, Chloe worked on covering up her unsightly budding bruise, though her lip was still obviously swollen. Annoyance flaring a little, she shoved her mirror back into her purse with a moan as her driver slowed to a stop in front of her favorite boutique. Being surrounded by clothes lightened her mood a little bit, though the pain in her face was a constant reminder of why she was there in the first place. Her shoulders still carried tension from her irritation, so she decided to stop for a massage on her way home. Normally she would go to a high-class spa, but the old man running this quaint little shop could work through knots like magic.

“Good afternoon, Miss,” He greeted politely with a bow. “You seem tense.”

“Ugh, you will not believe what happened to me today,” Chloe said, lowering down onto the mat to lie on her stomach. The old man began to work his hands over her shoulders, and Chloe felt her muscles relaxing. “I accidentally spilled paint on one of the girls in my class, which covered up the hideous pattern on her jacket, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, her snotty little friend attacked me, and _I_ got suspended. Can you believe it?”

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Miss,” He responded.

“I know. It’s so unfair,” She pouted, flicking her gaze up to the small television screen where Ladybug and Chat Noir were chatting with reporters. “Ladybug is on TV! Turn it up!”

The old man stopped and shifted to grab the remote from the small table a few feet from him and cranked up the volume as requested before resuming his work. Chloe watched the footage of the akuma attack intently, and the old man chuckled.

“You have a great admiration for Ladybug,” He stated, a hint of amusement in his tone.

“Ladybug is one of the coolest girls in Paris, second to me of course. She’s smart and brave, and she’s so heroic,” Chloe prattled on, gazing dreamily at the screen where Ladybug was waving confidently to the camera.

“I think she seems a little overworked, don’t you?” He remarked, and Chloe glanced at him over her shoulder.

“Of course she is. I think they aren’t working as efficiently as they could be,” Chloe said, flipping over for him to massage her temples. “I’ve offered them my assistance in the past, but they turned me down. So really, it’s their own fault.”

“Being a hero is more than just fighting bad guys. It is a way of life whether transformed or not. Heroes give freely of themselves to others in need, and do their best to serve with kindness. Do you think you could do that?” He asked nonchalantly while she took deep breaths and focused on exhaling negative energy.

“I do nice things for people every day. Just this morning my best friend showed up to school wearing the most hideous sweater, so I gave her a stylish hat to draw people’s attention away from it,” She said as he finished his work.

“Well, I suppose we’ll never know what kind of hero you would make, will we?” He smiled, and Chloe sat up.

“My shoulders feel lighter already. You can charge this to Daddykins,” She declared, stretching her arms above her head.

“Of course, Miss. Have a wonderful day.”

Upon returning to her suite, she dumped her bag on her bed and flopped against her pillows with a contented sigh as she scrolled through social media. She supposed getting suspended wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to her. Sabrina would take care of any homework she got assigned, and she didn’t have to put up with those brats for a week. It didn’t stop the soreness in her lip though which refused to let her forget that Alya had been bold enough to lash out. If it hadn’t been for that, she could have worked Mr. Damocles to get out of her punishment for messing with Marinette. Oh well. Her daddy would sort everything out for her, so she supposed all she had to do was relax and wait.

She reached for her bag to dig out her compact to assess the swelling and found a strange little box inside. Eyebrows furrowing in concern, she turned it over in her hands. Where had it come from? She would never have picked up something so vintage and ugly. Had someone put it in her bag attempting to frame her for theft? Chloe Bourgeois was a lot of things, but a thief was not one of them! She made Sabrina do all of her thieving, so her hands were clean. There didn’t appear to be a brand name or logo anywhere on the outside, so she popped the lid to check the inner lining. Instantly, yellow light flashed in her face, blinding her momentarily until it faded and she found herself face-to-face with the largest insect she’d ever laid her eyes on.

“Hello, my name is-”

“ _Die you filthy pest_!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have Chloe's start~ I don't know why, but I really like the idea of Chloe trying to squish her kwami when they first meet.   
> I'm ultimately still on the fence about whether I like the way I spun Chloe in this fic, so when you guys get to the end, you'll have to let me know what you think.   
> As always, follow me on tumblr or click on my username for more things that I've written, and be sure to check out all the other BB entries because everyone worked super hard!


	3. Explanations and Expectations

Chapter 3

“Whoa, what the hell?” Alya gaped, bobbing her head up and down to examine the creature fully.

“Fuck!” The creature groaned, stretching its limbs out wide. “I’m so stiff.”

“Who – _What_ are you?” Alya blinked and shook herself as if she expected it to be an illusion.

“Sorry the name’s Trixx,” It replied, eyes widening giddily. “Look at all of this hair! Holy shit, you could get lost for days in there.”

“Uh, okay, that answers one of my questions,” Alya said pointedly as Trixx flitted up and buried herself in Alya’s long, red locks. “Hey!” She felt the small creature ruffling through her hair, wincing when she got tangled a little. Alya reached a hand back in an attempt to fish her out, but a moment later she popped out again and leaned down in front of her face. “What gives?”

“Sorry. It’s just so poofy. I couldn’t resist,” Trixx giggled, cupping her little paws over her mouth.

“What are you? And why were you in that box? How did you get here?” Alya demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

“Ugh, I hate explaining. It’s so boring, but it has been a good century or three since I gave it last, so I suppose I should…” She seemed to weigh it for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. “Short story: You’re gonna be a superhero. Long story-”

“Wait, what?” Alya leaned forward intently. “I’m going to be….a _superhero_?”

_Meanwhile, across town…_

“Please stop screaming,” The bee sighed as Chloe lobbed every one of her pillows in her direction as a continuous shrill pitch emanated from her throat. “I’m here to help you.”

“Why does it talk?” Chloe cried.

Had Alya really punched her that hard? She was delusional. Clearly this was a horrible dream, and maybe if she woke up everything would be back to normal. Having run out of pillows to throw, Chloe pulled her duvet over her head and shut her eyes tightly, hoping that when she opened them again, she would wake up from this horrible nightmare.

“Hide all you want, but I’m not going anywhere,” Its squeaky voice said pointedly. “If you won’t come out, I’ll just tell you what you need to know from here. You love Ladybug and Chat Noir, right?”

“Mostly just Ladybug,” Chloe whimpered, questioning why she was even bothering to correct this talking bug. She supposed she’d experienced crazier dreams before, and that if this truly was a dream, she couldn’t be hurt by it, so she dared to peek out from her fortress of solitude just enough to see the bee floating in the air above her.

“You said you wanted to work with her, right?” Chloe sat up at that.

“More than anything!” She affirmed.

“Then that’s why I’m here.”

x x x

Alya scrambled to find her phone and hit the record button, zooming in on the tiny creature floating over her desk.

“So, I’ll have powers and stuff like Ladybug and Chat Noir?” She asked.

“Yes, but there’s rules and stuff-”

“How does it work? Are you going to bite me?” Alya leaned away skeptically.

“Only if you don’t shut the fuck up and let me talk,” Trixx grumbled, crossing her little arms over her chest. “And put that shit away. No one can know about me.”

“Sorry, I got excited,” Alya grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck and setting her phone in her lap. Trixx eyed her for a moment to be sure she was going to behave before starting her explanation.

“I’m a kwami-”

“A kwami?” She gave Alya a stern look, and Alya pretended to zip her lips with an apologetic smile.

“Kwamis grant powers, and yours is the power of illusion and deceit.” Alya raised her hand, and Trixx rolled her eyes. “Save your questions for the end.” Alya slowly lowered her hand back down to her lap and leaned forward to rest her arms on her desk, hanging onto every word as Trixx continued. “All you have to do is wear this necklace, and when it’s time to transform, you just speak the words, ‘Transform me!’ and I get sucked inside which is where your power comes from.”

“Ha! I knew it had something to do with the earrings!” Alya blurted triumphantly before clearing her throat and sitting back down calmly.

“Anyway,” Trixx growled. “You have the ability to summon five illusions per battle, and as they’re broken, you’ll lose stripes on your necklace. If you lose all five stripes, you’ll change back to normal. So don’t fuck ‘em up.”

“Oh, just like Ladybug’s spots and Chat Noir’s pawprint,” Alya stated with a nod.

“Exactly. It gives you about five minutes after your last illusion is broken before you change back, so make sure you can get away before that happens. Identities are important when you’re a superhero, so don’t tell anyone about me, got it?”

“I’m not new to this whole superhero thing, ya know. I read a lot of comics, so I know all about secret identities,” Alya bragged.

“Good. Then the last thing you need to know is that losing all of your stripes will drain my energy, so after a battle I need you to feed me berries so I can get my strength back,” Trixx said. “You won’t be able to transform again if I don’t have any energy, so I suggest keeping some on you just in case we get into a hairy situation.”

“Berries. Got it,” Alya nodded dutifully before a sly grin broke out across her face, and Trixx sighed.

“Go ahead.”

x x x

“Wait, you’re a what?” Chloe asked, eye’s narrowing skeptically.

“A kwami. I’m a magical being that grants powers to whoever possesses my comb,” She repeated, and Chloe sat up a little straighter.

“What kind of magical powers?”

“Let me just start from the beginning. My name is Pollen, and-”

“Pollen?” Chloe cocked a skeptical brow. “That’s not very cute. I suggest we change it.”

“It’s not supposed to be cute, and you don’t see me complaining about your name-”

“Hmm, I’m gonna call you…Polly. That’s much cuter. Why would you want to be named after the dust that comes off plants? Ick,” Chloe’s nose wrinkled in disgust, and Pollen gave her an unamused frown. Or that’s what it appeared to be anyway; Chloe couldn’t quite tell with her eyes.

“Anyways, I am a kwami, and together with that comb you chunked across the room, I can grant you powers to fight evil,” She continued, ignoring her chosen’s previous remarks.

“With Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

“Yes, with Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Pollen said with an eye roll, and Chloe’s face lit up.

“Wow! Ladybug and I are going to be bffs! I mean, we’re already super close, but now we’re going to be working together!” She squealed in delight.

“Yeah, but there’s rules, you can’t just go around at your leisure,” Pollen warned, but Chloe was too far gone in her own trance. She could see why Master Fu left this girl in her charge. Why did she always get the ones that needed the most work?

“Ow! Hey!” Chloe shrieked, rubbing the spot on her arm where Pollen dug the small barb at the end of her tail in. “What was that for?”

“For not listening,” Pollen stated. “If you’re going to be a superhero, you’re going to have to listen to my advice. This isn’t some fairytale. Being a hero is work, and it requires a lot of sacrifice.”

“What do you mean?” Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re going to have to risk your own life to help other people. It’s not just a time to look cool while everyone adores you. You have to be selfless and willing to help others.”

“I help others all the time! Just the other day Rose was wearing the most god-awful shoes, so I told her they looked like a candy store threw up on them, and she hasn’t worn them since,” She declared, folding her arms over her chest.

This was going to be harder than Pollen thought.

“I am the kwami of harmony and unity. For centuries my wielders have used their powers for the benefit of warring nations and starving villages which requires them to think about more than their own needs. If you want to be my chosen then you have to learn to be kind,” Pollen lectured.

“I am kind.” Chloe shot back haughtily.

“Fine. Then prove it,” Pollen challenged, and Chloe felt a twinge of fear. “Each time you say something rude, I will sting you so that you can feel the hurt you’re inflicting on others.”

“Perfect! You’re gonna get really bored because I’m so nice to everyone.”

But in the back of Chloe’s mind, she felt the weight of this new calling heavily, and she had wonder just what she was getting herself into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we don't know anything about their powers in canon yet, so this is just my take on them. I am intrigued to see what will happen in canon with them.   
> I've made Trixx kind of laid-back similar to Plagg because I see them being mischief pals, and Pollen is more business-like to mirror Tikki. This is an alternate love square fic between Chloe and Alya, so I wanted to mirror the show's dynamic with their characters since that was a popular thing that came out a while back after Alya was confirmed a hero as well. Ever since I saw that idea, I've wanted to write a fic for them, so this is it. Tadaa~


	4. You Can Be Heroes

Chapter 4

The next morning, Chloe sat up in bed and blinked a few times in confusion. She’d had the strangest dream that Alya punched her in the jaw and then a little fairy showed up at her house in a magic comb. Running a hand across her face, she hissed in pain then leaned over to examine her lip in the reflective lamp beside her bed. It wasn’t swollen anymore, but a faint purple bruise seemed to have popped up overnight.

Perfect.

Just what she needed, a mark on her flawless face. Still, if Alya really had punched her then that meant what happened later in the evening must be true too… She glanced down at her bedside table where the little box that contained the comb rested, and she picked it up and examined it carefully. Was she really going to be a superhero like Ladybug? _Could_ she really be a superhero like Ladybug? Before yesterday she’d always thought it would be a piece of cake, but Pollen made it sound like a lot of work.

“Mademoiselle Bourgeois?” She jumped at the sound of the butler’s voice.

“What?” She snapped, hiding the comb under her blanket.

“I’ve come to inform you that breakfast is being served in the dining hall, and your father would like to speak with you,” He relayed dutifully.

“Ugh, fine,” She said with a grunt, staring him down for a moment. “You can leave now.”

He gave a curt nod before turning and pacing from the room, and Chloe listened for the click of the door before moving. She pulled the comb back out and turned it over in her hands. It wasn’t very fashionable, but she supposed she could try and cover it up. Slipping from bed, she stretched her back as she headed for the bathroom to clean up before breakfast. After splashing some water on her face, she straightened up to look at her reflection and found Pollen floating just behind her.

“Ack!” She shrieked, spinning around to face her and clutching her chest. “Don’t just sneak up on me like that!”

“You should wear the comb,” Pollen instructed, pointing to where Chloe had set it on her counter.

“But it’s so ugly, and I haven’t fixed my hair for the day yet,” She whined, and her kwami gave her a disapproving look.

“If you aren’t wearing it when an akuma attacks, you can’t transform, so you must wear it at all times,” She said seriously, and Chloe pursed her lips sourly.

“Fine.”

When she made it down to breakfast, her father was already seated and scrolling through his phone. He glanced up when she sat down and offered her his attention.

“Let me see your lip,” He said, reaching a hand out to lift her chin and assess the damage. “Just a little bruising I see, but nevertheless, I have spoken to Marlena about her daughter’s behavior and let her know that it is absolutely unacceptable!”

“Thank you, Daddy,” She smiled as the wait staff brought out their meal. “Have you talked to the school?”

“I have spoken to your principal, and he is willing to allow you to come back whenever you are ready, sweetheart,” He beamed proudly.

“Just me though right? I don’t want to be back if that nasty Alya girl is going to be – ow!” She glared down at her lap where Pollen gave her a stern frown.

“Everything alright, pumpkin?”

“Uh,” Chloe straightened and cleared her throat. “Yes, just my lip hurts so much…”

“Oh, well, you can rest assured that girl will serve the full duration of her suspension. I’m sure I could even get it extended if you’d like?” He offered with a smirk, and Chloe glanced down at Pollen again.

“No, it’s alright. A week should suffice,” She stated, and her father shrugged it off. Pollen gave her another look, and Chloe cocked a brow.

“That’s a lovely comb you have there. Did you buy it yesterday?” He asked, pulling her focus back to breakfast. Chloe touched it absentmindedly and nodded.

“Oh, yeah. I did,” She said.

“Bees are hard workers. A fine choice to represent our business model,” He complimented.

“Yeah…” She picked at her food with a fork, nose wrinkling in disgust. “Ugh, those idiots in the kitchen gave me blueberries. I hate blueberries!”

“Oh, it must be the new cook. Waiter! Bring this back at once and send the chef responsible for this mix up out here immediately!” Mayor Bourgeois demanded, and Chloe folded her arms over her chest grumpily.

When the chef in question appeared, he wore an apologetic wince. “I am deeply sorry, Mademoiselle. I did not realize that you despise blueberries so much; I will never put them on your plate again.”

“You’re just lucky I didn’t accidentally eat one. It would have ruined my whole appetite- Ah!” Pollen jabbed her hard in the leg, and she took a deep breath. “In the future, I only accept fresh strawberries. Since you are new, I will forgive you this time.”

“Thank you very much, Mademoiselle.” He bowed politely before returning to the kitchen as Chloe rubbed her leg sorely.

“Send my meal up to my room,” She requested, standing up and throwing her napkin over her place at the table. “I need to meditate.”

Once back in her room, Pollen floated up to face her, and the two shared disgruntled frowns.

“What gives?” Chloe demanded.

“You weren’t being very nice,” Pollen stated simply, floating over to the candy bowl on the coffee table.

“Well, Alya punched me, and that chef tried to make me eat blueberries!”

“Those things might be true, but there’s a way to handle situations calmly,” Pollen said, unwrapping a truffle and popping it in her mouth.

“But I was wronged!” Chloe whined, flopping onto the couch and resting her elbows on her knees.

“Food mix-ups happen. It won’t kill you to be polite when you ask for it to be fixed. As for your friend-”

“She is _not_ my friend,” Chloe snorted.

“Did you do anything to provoke her? People don’t often just punch others for no reason.”

“I didn’t do anything!” Pollen gave her a stern look, and she shifted a little. “Okay, so I poured paint on her friend, but she’s always getting on my nerves!”

“This is the behavior I’m talking about, Chloe. You’re only thinking about yourself. Being a hero requires you to think about other people too. If Ladybug only thought of herself all those times she had to save you, you wouldn’t be here,” Pollen remarked, assorting her wrappers into a neat pile.

Chloe pursed her lips and hugged her arms to her chest. All of this hero talk was making her brain hurt. She’d never really thought about it that way. Ladybug and Chat Noir made things look so easy, even when they were messing up. Chloe had never stopped to wonder how hard saving Paris must be for them because akumas popped up all the time. What if one popped up during school? Would she have to leave to go fight it? What if she was getting her hair done?

All of a sudden Chloe felt uncertain about her dream of fighting beside Ladybug. Everything seemed so fun in her head, but now as she stared at the little bug eating bonbons on her coffee table, she wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore.

x x x

“Okay, what about Rouge? No, Renard? Lady Renard, no that’s not right,” Alya scribbled on a sheet of paper, tongue sticking out as she concentrated.

“You’ve been brainstorming hero names for an hour,” Trixx whined from where she was lazily sprawled on the upper tier of her desk.

“Well, your name is important. It’s your identity, and I’ll have to live with whatever I pick,” Alya chided, tapping her pen on the page.

“You’re thinking way too hard about this,” Her kwami chuckled. “Names come to you in the heat of the moment. It fits who you are. You haven’t even transformed yet, so wait until you see what kind of hero you’ll be before you get your heart set on a name.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Alya grumbled as her phone buzzed on the desk beside her. “Ah, that’s Marinette, hide, Trixx…Hey, girl!”

“Hey, how are you doing? Hanging in there?” Her friend asked sympathetically. Alya could see her couch in the background, and now that she thought about it, Marinette was probably on lunch.

“Yeah, the house is quiet cause everyone is gone. I’m supposed to be cleaning so I can keep my phone for the week,” Alya sighed. “How are things with Adrien?”

Her best friend’s cheeks flushed. “Fine. We had a group assignment today in physics, and we worked together…with Nino, but still!”

“Have you told him that you’re in love with him yet?’ Alya cocked a brow, a sly smirk spreading over her lips.

“Not yet. I’m taking things slow, but he’s so smart and sweet, sometimes I just can’t help but stare.”

“Well, don’t stare too much. You should actually speak to him from time to time,” She chuckled.

“I do speak to him! Words don’t always come out right, but I do get them mostly correct,” She said with puffed out cheeks. “I’ll collect all of your schoolwork and bring it by for you later, okay?”

“Thanks, M. You’re the best, and good luck with Adrien!”

She hung up and set her phone down, glancing back at her list with a sigh.

“So, when I transform, what are the limits of my powers?” She asked.

“That depends on you. Your flute can conjure up illusions, and it serves as a communicator with your comrades. You also get increased agility and strength that you normally wouldn’t have as a civilian, but there are all kinds of things that you can do once you’ve grown enough and the Miraculous deems that you’re ready,” Trixx explained. “But don’t get any bright ideas, rookie. It’ll be a long time before you’re ready to tap into some of that potential. Just stick to the basics for now.”

“Okay,” Alya pursed her lips. “What will my costume look like?”

Trixx groaned in annoyance. “Whatever you want it to look like.”

“How does that work? Do I have to draw one up, or do I just picture it when I transform or-?”

“Do I have to fucking explain _everything_ to you?” Trixx sighed as Alya’s phone buzzed with an alert. “Oh, looks like you’re about to find out for yourself.”

x x x

Chloe sat cross-legged on her yoga mat, breathing deeply while Pollen flipped through channels on the TV. The constant shift in noise was making it hard to focus, but Chloe kept her jaw shut tightly. They hadn’t spoken much since their argument that morning, and Chloe was still mulling the whole situation over. After several minutes of unsuccessful meditation, she slouched with a sigh, and glanced up at the news report Pollen was watching.

“Hey…Polly?” She started hesitantly, hugging her knees to her chest as the small bug floated over. “What happens if I can’t do this?”

“Don’t say that, I’m going to help you. You’ll be great,” She answered, sinking down to rest on Chloe’s knee.

Chloe chewed that response for a while, staring at the wall in thought. “What if…I don’t want to do this?”

“Quitting already?” Pollen cocked a brow.

“This isn’t what I thought it would be, and I’ve worked really hard to get where I am, so if I change now…”

“Alright. I understand,” Pollen said, deflating a little. “Looks like he was wrong about you.”

“Who was?” Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“The guardian of the Miraculouses. He picked you because he saw something in you that he thought resonated with me. He thought this could be good for you, but sometimes people aren’t ready to accept their full potential.”

“He saw something…in me? Like what?” She blinked.

“Dunno honestly. All you’ve done thus far is whine, and now you’re quitting before you’ve even tried,” Pollen shrugged, flitting off to watch the TV again. “Don’t worry about me. Just leave the box and comb out tonight, and he’ll come get me.”

“You’re not going to try and talk me out of it?” Chloe gave her a quizzical look.

“I can’t force you to be a hero if you don’t want to be, kid. What I’m offering is a chance for you to change, to be better, but it’s up to you whether or not you take it.”

“I want to, but I’m…scared,” She glanced down at her feet on the mat.

“You should be. Being a hero is a lot of responsibility, and you need a lot of work,” Pollen said. “But the guardian thinks you’ve got what it takes.”

“What about you, Polly?”

She smiled a little and jumped up to Chloe’s face. “I wouldn’t push you to be better if I didn’t think you’d listen, and I wouldn’t be telling you all of this now if I didn’t think it would change your mind.”

Chloe felt her eyes water a little as she nuzzled Pollen against her cheek. No one had ever believed in her like that before. Everyone around her just let her get away with anything she wanted, but in a way, it felt nice to have someone fight back. It was nice to have someone that wanted more for her, and who saw potential in her.

“I think…I want to give this a try. At least once,” She determined, wiping a tear from her cheek.

“Good. Because your first test is waiting for you right now.”

\- - -

“An akuma near Notre Dame? Yes!” Alya cheered excitedly. “Can we transform now?”

“Preferably before Ladybug and Chat Noir handle it themselves,” Trixx rolled her eyes. “Do you remember how?”

“I think so,” Alya tapped her chin. “Trixx, transform me!”

\- - -

“Already?” Chloe gasped, biting a nail. “W-What do I do?”

“Just say the words ‘Transform me’ and then go save Paris,” Pollen cheered, waving her arms enthusiastically.

“Transform me?” The comb in her hair lit up, and Chloe felt a surge of panic. “Wait! No, I wasn’t actually saying-”

“Good luck, kiddo!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chloe is going to be a slow build over the course of the fic. She'll reveal more about herself and her past and why she is the way she is. Again, I decided to go in a different direction with her this fic, and I'm still kinda uncertain about it.  
> Also Alya totally would over-think everything about being a hero. XD


	5. Akumas and New Partners

Chapter 5

As the orange light cleared, a huge grin spread across Alya’s face as she glanced down at her suit. Rushing up to her mirror, she twisted to admire it from every angle. Her necklace was now orange and white instead of its usual gold and small gold stripes separated it into sections which she could only guess was for her countdown. This was unbelievable! She was actually a superhero!

“Trixx, I love it!” She said breathlessly, glancing around for her small partner, but she was nowhere in sight. “Oh, that’s right. She’s in the necklace now…”

Alya ran her hands along her sides until a crash perked up her long ears. Oh, right! There was an akuma attacking the city, and she needed to do something about it.

Pacing over to her window, she pushed it open and carefully climbed out, balancing on the bricks as she shut it back. Time to see what she could do. Trixx said she had increased strength and agility, so that should mean… She kicked off from the ledge and propelled herself upward, easily rising above the roof in one leap. Gasping in delight, she landed on top of the building and gazed down at the people below. They all looked like ants from her view, and she couldn’t wipe the grin from her face.

“Alright, Paris. Your new hero is on her way! Lady Roux…no, that’s not it.”

x x x

Chloe stared down at her yellow tipped fingers with wide eyes. The suit had materialized out of nowhere, just grown on her like a second skin. She had to admit, it was rather comfortable, and she was even willing to admit, a bit stylish. It took all of her concentrated will power not to scream because the last thing she wanted was someone walking in on her like this. Her head snapped up in an instant.

What if someone _did_ walk in? She couldn’t explain this to her father! Besides, Pollen seemed adamant that it remain a secret, so before a maid could come in, she raced out onto her balcony. Gulping, she glanced over the edge of her roof and realized for the first time just how high up she was on the top floor of the hotel. Pollen said she could fly, but she wasn’t about to test that theory by hopping over the ledge and possibly plummeting to her death. She needed to start smaller like…jumping to the service roof.

She glanced up and took a deep breath, stepping back a few paces to get a running start before she pushed off the ground. The rush stole her breath as she soared well above her target, and she glanced around at the surrounding buildings in awe. As terrifying and tedious as everything sounded, she had to admit that she could get used to a view like that. Slowly, the buildings started to inch closer again, and Chloe realized that she was sinking.

“Pollen? How does this flying thing work?” She asked, kicking her legs in a swimming motion as if it would keep her airborne. “Pollen?”

Her feet touched down on the service roof, and she glanced around curiously. Where was she? Did she really expect Chloe to do this all by herself? Ugh, how selfish. She had to do all the work while Pollen kicked back and relaxed. Maybe they were more alike than Chloe thought as that’s something she would do given the chance as well.

Across town, she saw a car fly above the rooftops before it fell back down with a crash. She was supposed to go over to _that_? Suddenly, her stomach turned into a pit of nerves, and she wanted to go crawl back in bed. But Pollen was counting on her as well as that guardian. If they thought she could do it, then she was going to trust them. What was she? Scared? Horrendously, but she was Chloe Bourgeois, and she wasn’t going to let fear hold her back! So with a deep breath, she launched herself over to the next roof, slamming into the side and skittering the rest of the way up.

“Flying would be really useful,” She grumbled, attempting to jump a few times in hopes that it would somehow kick start her ability. Pollen hadn’t prepared her well enough, but she supposed she would just have to do without. Besides, she could jump just as far anyways.

After a few rooftops, she felt like she was finally getting the hang of it, and she found herself pausing less before soaring to the next one. It was kind of invigorating to feel the wind kissing her cheeks, and she could only imagine what flying must feel like. Without regard for her surroundings, she launched herself across another gap with a laugh, but she collided with something midair that knocked the wind from her lungs.

No, not something, some _one_.

Her vision filled with orange as she and her compatriot scrambled over each other until her eyes met hazel ones. They stared at each other in confusion for a moment before realizing that they were falling headfirst down to the streets below.

Chloe hugged herself to the mysterious stranger as their cries echoed between the buildings. This wasn’t how she planned on dying! She’d always figured she would pass peacefully in her sleep after a long and luxurious life, but the concrete was getting closer each second.

She closed her eyes and braced for impact, but it never came. After a few moments, she dared to peak them open and found that they were hovering less than a meter from the ground. Her orange companion let out a triumphant laugh as Chloe breathed a sigh of relief.

“You can fly!” She grinned widely, but as if she hit a switch, they both dropped to the ground and landed in a heap of limbs and hair. “Well, sort of anyway.”

“I’ve totally got the hang of it, you just caught me off guard,” Chloe said sitting up and rubbing her butt.

“Sorry, it’s kind of my first day. I was a little too excited so I wasn’t watching where I was going. Why would I up there, right?” She said, standing up and brushing herself off before extending a hand down to help Chloe. “So what’s your name? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”

“Uh…why should I tell you? I don’t even know you. What’s _your_ name?” Chloe hadn’t thought about a name, but the girl simply laughed.

“It’s okay. I’m still mulling it over too. How does Rusé Rouge sound to you?” She cocked her head and tapped her chin.

“Fine?” Chloe shrugged, and she pursed her lips.

“It doesn’t seem right. Oh, well, it’ll come to me.” She turned around, ears sticking up as she shifted her attention up the street, and took off into a sprint.

“Wait up!” Chloe called, dashing after her.

She paused at the corner and pressed her back against the wall of a café, peaking around to see the action on the next street. Chloe moved to do the same, but the girl whipped back around with an ecstatic squeal, cupping a hand over her mouth and bouncing a little.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir in action! So awesome!” She giggled, taking another peak. “I so wish I had my phone to record this.”

“Shouldn’t we do something?” Chloe offered, and she seemed to realize as well.

“You’re right. Sorry, I get hung up. Ladybug’s kind of my idol,” She chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck before a sly smirk crept over her face. “We should do something impressive. Ladybug will see how awesome we are, and we’ll be on their team in no time.”

“Is that a good idea? I mean, you’re still new, and doing something brash could mess them up or – hey!” She held out an arm as if to stop her, but that fox was already racing into the fray.

Chloe watched as she charged toward the freak with the horrible cardigan, holding her breath. She couldn’t just stand back and let her get hurt; she needed to do something too! Before she could think, her feet were carrying her out into the street after the fox, and she assessed her assets skeptically. She had little spin top looking things, that she couldn’t really remember what to do with, and she could possibly fly if she ever figured out how that worked…

Before she could think of a coherent plan, her fox came flying back at her, crashing into her for the second time that day. They toppled backward several meters, rolling into a pile and struggling to untangle their limbs.

“Well, that didn’t work,” She said sheepishly, climbing off Chloe with an apologetic wince.

The clank of boots hitting the ground sounded behind them, and they glanced up to see Chat Noir and Ladybug looming over them with suspicious glares.

“Who the hell are you two?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun!  
> I think this chapter is one of my favorites when they're both still new and naive. How will Ladybug and Chat Noir take to their new partners? Find out in the next chapter~ And look, you didn't even have to wait for it. Aren't Big Bangs amazing?


	6. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee

 Chapter 6

Alya couldn’t believe it. Chat Noir and Ladybug were standing right in front of her! And she was going to be on their team! As a superhero! Or rather, so she thought.

“Who the hell are you two?” Ladybug asked, crossing her arms over her chest with a disapproving scowl. “And just what do you think you’re doing running into danger like that, you could get hurt.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t my best plan, but maybe you can help think of a better one?” Ladybug and Chat exchanged skeptical glances, and Alya faltered a little. “We’re you’re new teammates! I’m Malin Roux, or maybe Lady Rena, and this is my friend…Bee.”

“Hello,” Bee waved nervously, and the seasoned heroes pursed their lips.

“Hawkmoth is really upping his game,” Chat remarked under his breath to Ladybug, though not low enough for the others not to hear.

“We weren’t sent by Hawkmoth! We’re your allies,” Alya insisted, cocking a hip to the side.

“And why should we believe you? The last ally that showed up out of nowhere turned out to be our enemy, so why should we trust you two?” Ladybug asked bluntly.

“Let us prove it to you! We’ve got this akuma, you two just sit back and watch,” Alya declared, and Bee stiffened beside her.

“Uh, I don’t really think that-”

“Yeah, we’re gonna let you two handle this by yourselves. Don’t think so,” Ladybug scoffed, and Alya felt her temper flaring.

“Then tell us what you need us to do!” She pleaded, and Chat searched her expression.

“I think she’s telling the truth, m’lady,” He said, and Ladybug’s head snapped around. “What harm can it do to give them a shot?”

“Don’t you remember last time?” Ladybug shot back grumpily.

“Of course I do, but this time seems different. I mean, why would Hawkmoth send three akumas at once? Also, why would he repeat one with someone different?” Chat reasoned, and Ladybug seemed to weigh his words for a minute before sighing.

“Fine. I trust your judgment, Chat Noir. You two can help, but only if you do what we tell you,” She said sternly, and Alya shot Chat a grateful grin. “What are your powers?”

“I can create illusions, but each one takes away a section of my Miraculous,” She explained quickly, holding up her necklace for emphasis.

“What about you?” Chat asked, turning to Bee who flinched under their stares.

“Uh, I can do…something impressive with this, and I can fly really, really well,” She said, fingering her spin tops before turning her nose up to one side. “I’ve got this whole hero thing down pat, so I suppose I could lend you my expertise.”

“Great. I have the perfect job for you two,” Ladybug declared with a crooked smirk.

“Remind me again how being distractions is the perfect job?” Bee grumbled a few minutes later as they took position on the street.

“We’re the newbies. It’s like an initiation thing,” Alya explained in a hushed tone, crouching behind a car. “Besides, I’ve got a plan of my own up my sleeve that will impress Ladybug for sure. She won’t be skeptical after this.”

She blew a few notes into her flute, and duplicates of themselves appeared crouched in mirrored positions. Bee looked her clone up and down, admiring the way she looked in her suit before Alya grabbed her arm and tugged her along.

“What are we doing-”

“Shh!” Alya hissed, peaking over the car parked on the street as their doppelgangers created a diversion just as Ladybug had asked. She watched them engage the akuma, observing her attack this time and trying to guess where the akuma could be hiding.

The villain appeared to be an irate librarian that could bring the stories in books to life which Alya had to admit was way awesome if it weren’t for the whole trying to destroy the city part. She was a formidable opponent, and the perfect opportunity for them to prove what an asset they were to the team.

“Oh, you’re going to let them do all the work,” Bee said, sounding impressed. “Ya know, I wasn’t sure before, but I think I’m going to like you.”

When she turned her head, Alya had rushed out from their hiding place, instructing her to wait for her signal. Bee held up a hand as if to stop her, but she soon realized it was moot. She took it back. Her partner was crazy.

Alya crept closer, ducking behind cars to avoid being spotted. When she glanced back, she rolled her eyes and motioned Bee to follow, but the yellow heroine grimaced, glancing between her and the villain. Looks like it was up to her then.

x x x

Chloe watched as Rena, Malin, whoever she was, charged in bravely and felt as if she should do something, but her feet remained rooted in place on the concrete. Of course she wanted to impress Ladybug just as much as that reckless fox, but she wasn’t sure getting tossed around like a ragdoll was the way to go about that, plus it would mess up her hair. Besides, they’d already disobeyed orders, so Ladybug was likely to lecture them.

Pursing her lips, she fingered her trompos nervously, sifting through the pros and cons of following her lead. On one hand, if they managed to pull it off, Ladybug would likely be impressed, but on the other hand, if they failed, she’d likely kick them off the team. All of this pressure was making her head spin, and Chloe still wasn’t even sure she wanted to do this. She thought she did, but after talking to Pollen, and now being in the heat of the moment, she realized just what she was getting herself into. Civilians were running terrified as unicorns and knights roamed the streets, chasing after them, and Chloe couldn’t make sense of all the chaos.

Before she’d always been a bystander, and a victim, knowing that someone else would take care of things, but now that people were counting on her to solve the problem, she wasn’t so sure what to do. As it seemed, it was easy to judge being on the outside of things, but now that she was part of the chaos, she wasn’t so sure it’s where she wanted to be.

Across the street, a small boy began to wail in fear, tears streaming down his small face, and Chloe gripped a trompo tightly, grinding her teeth. She should do something, but her legs refused to move. A crash sounded up the street, and she turned to see Rena hit the pavement and scramble to regain her balance. Across the way, Ladybug was shouting, and the little boy cried louder. Her partner glanced back at her, eyes hardening accusingly.

“What are you doing?” She called, but her voice sounded muddled and distant.

Chloe’s chest felt tight, and her lungs burned with the force of each breath. No matter how much air she sucked in, it wasn’t enough, and her head spun wildly out of her control. Her stomach twisted in knots, and for a moment she felt certain that she was going to throw up. She needed Pollen. What would she do?

_“You’re only thinking of yourself.”_

Maybe that was true, but in the given situation, was that really a bad thing? That’s all everyone else running away was doing. Thinking of themselves and how to get away.

_“Being a hero requires you to think about other people too.”_

            She was thinking about other people quite a lot in that moment. The little boy across the street still screaming, Ladybug and Chat Noir doing their best to keep the villain occupied while Miss Working-Title recovered. The street was nearly empty now. Everyone else had run away to hide, and Chloe wished more than anything that she could join them. She couldn’t breathe anymore. Her body felt numb and heavy as if two ton weights were strapped to her ankles and wrists, and all she could do was stare in horror.

Chloe didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t good at this after all. Perhaps the Guardian was wrong about her, or maybe her big head had finally swollen so much that it couldn’t be contained anymore. Maybe Pollen was right about her. She was too selfish to be a hero.

 _“Quitting already?”_ Pollen’s voice was in her ear again.

She shut her eyes tightly to hold back the frustrated tears welling in her eyes and leaned her head back against the car behind her.

No! Chloe Bourgeois was a lot of things. Selfish, manipulative, pig-headed, and more often than she cared to admit: terrified. Terrified of losing. Terrified of getting hurt. Terrified of being used. Terrified of failing. But she’d never let that fear stop her before. She used it as a crutch to push herself to stay on top. To keep her guard up to prevent others from taking advantage of her. In her world, it was always use or get used, so why then did the others risk themselves like this for strangers?

_“What I’m offering is a chance for you to change, to be better, but it’s up to you whether or not you take it.”_

She opened her eyes again to see the scared little boy. What must he think of her, sitting over here crying too? She was supposed to be the hero, and yet, she was no better than him in that moment. Just a scared, crying child, hoping that someone would rescue her. She was supposed to be the hero, so why couldn’t that someone be her?

“Bee!” Her partner’s voice pierced through the depths of her conscious, shattering the dome she’d hidden herself in and tearing away the chains that bound her.

She glanced up in time to see the car flying toward them, and her gaze shot back to the little boy. He would be crushed if she didn’t move. Someone needed to save him, and it needed to be her. _Now_.

A jolt of adrenaline surged through her limbs, and she shot forward, crossing the street swiftly and scooping the boy into her arms. They needed to get out of the way, so without thinking, Chloe rocked back on her haunches and pushed off from the ground, narrowly dodging the car as it crashed where the boy had been standing just moments before. He clung to her tightly like a baby koala as she glided down to safety. A woman timidly, peaked around the corner, and the boy squirmed from her arms, running to her frantically. She watched as the woman hugged him tightly and shot her a grateful smile before they disappeared back around the corner to safety.

“Hey.” Chloe jumped at the sound of Ladybug’s voice, and she turned to see her wearing a concerned wince. “You okay?”

Chloe ran a hand across her cheeks and squared her shoulders. “I’m fine.”

“It’s not so easy, huh?” She chuckled good-naturedly, and Chloe felt her cheeks flush a little. “I know it seems daunting and scary…” She glanced back at where Chat Noir and that fox were busy giving The Librarian the run around. “But you’re capable of more than you think. I promise.”

Chloe smiled, facing the villain head-on as Ladybug stepped back and gave her the floor. It was her time to shine, her time to prove her worth. To prove to everyone that she could be a hero. Ladybug and Chat Noir, her fearless new fox partner. To Pollen and the guardian. To all of Paris, but most importantly to herself. This was her moment to do something great all by herself, the moment that would make her a hero.

She palmed one of her trompos, tracing her thumb across the stripes. She supposed it was time to see what impressive thing she could do, so without much thought, she snapped her wrist forward and launched one of her spin tops toward the akuma. For a moment the string followed suit, but then the top detached and spun at The Librarian’s feet. The villain looked apprehensive for a moment, but they both quickly realized that nothing was happening. When the top slowed to a stop and toppled over uselessly, Librarian shot her a snide smirk, and Chloe stomped her foot.

“What?” She shrieked, and the akuma chuckled in amusement before turning the page and summoning an ancient warrior who brandished a sword and shield, forcing Chloe back a few steps.

Uh oh.

Before she could react, a warrior’s foot slammed into her stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending her flying backward where she hit the pavement hard. Rolling over, she wheezed and pushed herself up, and once the shock of the blow wore off, she glared up at him menacingly.

“What the hell?” She spat, sitting back on her heels. “Pollen! My weapon doesn’t even work! You did not train me for this!”

“I thought you said you were good at this?” Chat called, swooping in to engage the warrior in a sword fight.

“It has to do something. Try and figure it out!” Ladybug chimed in while she wrangled a unicorn with her yoyo. “Think about what your kwami told you.”

What had Pollen told her? She hadn’t really been listening. Sometimes she hated how easily distracted she was when topics bored her. Pollen hadn’t really mentioned anything about her weapon, and she wasn’t sure what the hell she was supposed to do with a spin top. Who came up with this idea? All of the commotion was making her head spin again, and she could hardly think straight. She wished everything would just…

“Stop!” She shouted, stomping her foot in frustration. A flash of light lit up the street, and once everyone came to, they noticed that all of her creations had frozen. But it was short lived as after a few seconds, Librarian regained control and shook herself, bringing her creations back to life as she did so.

“You can stun them?” Foxy asked, sounding impressed, and Chloe turned her nose up proudly.

“Of course. I meant to do that all along. I just didn’t want to show off too much,” She said, flipping her pony tail over one shoulder.

“Think you can do it again?” Chat asked, parrying a jab with a grunt.

“I…” She touched her other trompo hesitantly, and Ladybug tapped her chin in thought, glancing at the air horn in her hands.

“She may not have to. I have an idea,” She said, gesturing Rena and Chloe over. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do.”

x x x

A few minutes later, they stood in their positions, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Alya blew low notes into her flute to summon another copy of Bee’s trompo that would explode just like before. She watched and waited for Ladybug’s signal giddily. This was always her favorite part of every battle when Ladybug used her lucky charm to take down the villain and capture the akuma, and she was about to help! Passing the look-alike top to Bee, she nodded to Ladybug who pranced out into the street once more, blasting the air horn with Chat Noir.

“Your writing needs some work, Librarian! Ever thought of getting an editor?” Chat taunted while Bee moved into position behind her.

“You’re supposed to be quiet during story time!” She growled as Ladybug continuously blasted the horn.

“Your story’s almost over, Librarian! We’ve got a new one to tell,” Ladybug said with a smirk. “This is the story of how the Ladybug and the Cat distracted you while the Bee and the Fox steal your book.”

The Librarian glanced down at her feet where Bee’s mock-trompo spun around her feet before bursting in a flash of light. Instinctively she froze, but before she realized the blast was an illusion, Alya swooped in and ripped the book from her hands, pirouetting to toss the book to Chat Noir.

“All yours, cool cat!”

Chat offered a triumphant grin as he raised his fist in the air. “Cataclysm!”

The book dissolved against his touch, and he offered the ashes to Ladybug who blew them away into the wind, releasing the black butterfly from its hiding place.

“No more evildoing for you, little akuma,” She chanted, and Alya bounced with delight as she witnessed first-hand Ladybug’s healing magic.

“We did it!” She cheered, latching onto Bee’s neck when she approached her side. “We’re heroes!”

Reporters were at their side in an instant, shoving microphones and cameras in their faces, cutting their rejoicing party short.

“Are you two new heroes?”

“Are you two affiliated with Ladybug and Chat Noir? Will you be working together from now on?”

“What are your names?” Nadja broke through the crowd and asked, bringing a hush to all of the voices.

Alya exchanged a glance with Bee and stepped forward with a smile. “You can call me Rena Rouge, superheroine of Paris, and this is my partner…”

All eyes flicked to Chloe, and she glanced among all the faces until her eyes rested on the little boy and his mother standing at the edge of the crowd. Seeing their hopeful expressions made her realize what Pollen had been trying to tell her all along. It made her realize what being a hero was all about.

“You can call me Queen Bee,” She declared, flipping her ponytail to one side with a proud beam.

“Rena Rouge! Queen Bee! Would you be willing to answer a few questions-”

They waved into the cameras, taking their new found fame in stride while Ladybug and Chat Noir watched from above.

“What do you think of them?” Chat asked, leaning against his staff and glancing at Ladybug with a cocked brow.

“They certainly have spunk, that’s for sure,” She chuckled, zooming in on Queen Bee with her yoyo as the new heroine boasted to the press of her heroics. “But they need a lot of work.”

“Lucky for them, they’ve got us,” Chat said as his ring beeped. “I’m afraid this is where I must bid you adieu, m’lady.”

“So it would seem,” Ladybug nodded, extending her fist to him.

“Bien Joué!”

Chat shot off the roof, baton-coptering over the city, and Ladybug giggled to herself, taking one last look at their new partners. Things were about to get a lot more interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus heroes are born!  
> I'm still not sure I like the insecure Chloe, cause we haven't seen it from her in canon thus far, but I kind of based her attitude on a poem that Winny retweeted a few months ago saying it reminded him of Chloe. I don't remember it exactly, but basically the ending is something a long the lines of "she only stung because she feared that else-wise they'd sting first." So that was kind of my basis for Chloe in this fic at times. Sometimes I like to go in new directions people haven't gone before. Keeps things interesting. Anywho, hope you're enjoying it thus far!


	7. Every Hero Has Secrets

Chapter 7

“Rena Rouge. _Rena_ Rouge. Hi, my name is Rena _Rouge_! I’m _Rena Rouge_ ,” Alya recited into her mirror with different inflections before turning to Trixx. “What do you think?”

“About what?” Trixx asked, sounding bored as she chewed on a cranberry.

“About my greeting for the Ladyblog interview I’m going to do…with myself,” She huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

“Which one? You’ve fucking done 600 since you woke up this morning,” Trixx moaned, rolling over and flicking her tail from side to side.

“About those four. I want Rena to be suave and sophisticated, but also caring and kind, so I don’t want to sound _too_ proud, but I really want to-”

“You’re overthinking this thing too much. Your hero persona shouldn’t be a completely different person from who you are, but an extension of the good inside you,” She lectured, floating up to eye level. “And don’t you think your silly little blog dedicated to unmasking your partners is a little bit problematic now?”

“What? Pff- no! It’s fine. I’m not-” Trixx gave her a stern look, and she pursed her lips. “Okay, I see your point, but I’ve only ever wanted to know Ladybug’s identity so I could help her.” A sterner look. “Okay! And so we could become bffs, or maybe something a little more, but it’s not like I’m going to expose her or anything.”

Her kwami flitted over to her desk where the Lady Wifi doll Marinette had given her for safe keeping after Puppeteer rested and picked it up. “Oh no?”

“I was akumatized! You can’t blame me for trying to expose her when I had a butterfly turning my brain to mush!” Alya countered.

“I think you need to think long and hard about rebranding, sister. This isn’t the fucking little leagues anymore. You’re part of their world now, so if their secret gets out, it fucks you over too,” She said seriously. “Besides, how are you going to get footage _and_ fight in the battle, dipshit?”

She chunked the doll at Alya, who caught it easily and eyed it with a pensive frown. Trixx did have a point, but she’d been too caught up in the magic to really think clearly about it. Being a hero had always been her dream, especially after Ladybug showed up, but if she was going to be a hero, she couldn’t keep on chasing after them as Alya. It pained her to say it, but she was going to have to shut down the Ladyblog if she wanted to keep being Rena Rouge.

“No fair,” She pouted, slumping into her desk chair and clicking open the home page. “I’ve worked really hard at this.”

“Identities are of utmost importance as a hero, kid, and you need to leave hers alone.”

“Yeah…” Alya sighed, resting her chin on her hands.

“It’s for the best anyways. You go back to school tomorrow, so you’re going to be busy again.” Trixx landed beside her keyboard and sat down, tucking her paws in front of her neatly.

“Oh, I almost forgot about school. Things have been so crazy this week, I forgot about normal life,” Alya remarked with a wistful sigh, glancing at the stack of papers on top of her text books. “School tomorrow…School tomorrow? I haven’t finished all of my homework!”

x x x

When Alya arrived the next morning, students were chatting animatedly in small clusters around the courtyard, same as ever. Looks like nothing had changed in her absence, but somehow Alya felt different as she walked past her classmates. She felt as if she hadn’t been there in ages, and the golden necklace hanging around her collar suddenly felt heavier. Normal life. She had to admit that everything seemed off to her, a little surreal almost. Was this how all heroes felt about keeping their alter-egos a secret?

“Alya!” She stopped and craned her neck to see Marinette waving from their usual bench, and a smile curled on her lips. Maybe she could tell just one person…

“Hey, girl!” She greeted as Marinette pulled her in for a tight hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“Mmm, I know. How was suspension?” Her friend asked, pulling back. It was then that Alya noticed Adrien sitting in her usual spot with a polite smile.

“Uh, dull. Really boring. Nothing exciting or life-changing happened to me at all,” Alya said, pressing her lips into a firm line. “So, anyway how have you two been?”

“Well, things have been quiet around here lately. You’ll never believe what happened. Mayor Bourgeois had everything all set up for Chloe to come back the next day, but for some reason she decided to serve the full suspension,” Marinette explained in a hushed tone.

“What? Seriously?” Alya gaped. “I wonder why…”

“No one really knows. We figure maybe she wanted a vacation.” Marinette gestured with her thumb to Adrien.

“So, you two have been talking a lot?” Alya raised a knowing brow, and Marinette’s cheeks flushed.

“We’ve been hanging out a lot since last week. Her parent’s even invited me over for dinner. They’re so nice, and Mrs. Cheng makes a mean casserole,” Adrien chimed in cheerfully, and Alya’s smirk only widened as her best friend rocked on her heels.

“Sounds like you two are getting cozy,” She remarked, but Marinette piped up quickly.

“We’re just finally hanging out together, that’s all. With Chloe gone, we’ve actually been able to talk without being interrupted,” She insisted, waving it away.

“It has been nice spending time with you, but I guess you two want to catch up on girl stuff, right?” Adrien stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder.

“Yeah, but I actually have to go run an essay to Mr. Damocles’ office. He made me write 600 words on the harmful effects of violence in schools,” She said with an eye roll. “We’ll catch up later, and you can tell me everything that I missed this week.”

“Okay,” Marinette replied, a shy smile on her lips. “See you in class.”

Alya waved and headed for the stairs, blowing air between her lips. It was just as well that Adrien was there. She knew she shouldn’t tell anyone, and that Trixx would lecture her if she did, but she wanted to tell _someone_. How did Ladybug and Chat Noir do it? Did they have people in their lives that they told? She wondered if Queen Bee was feeling the same way right about now. That partner of hers sure was something, a little proud, but Alya could tell she was a good person underneath.

“Ow! Hey, watch it!” A voice growled when Alya collided with them.

“Oh, my bad. I wasn’t- Oh, it’s you.” Alya looked Chloe up and down disinterestedly. “Nevermind. I’m not sorry.”

“You better watch your back, Alya Cesaire. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you for what you did to my face!” Chloe pointed to her lip with a scowl.

“Your face is fine, whiny baby, and don’t think I’ve forgiven you for what you did to Marinette either! You are seriously evil, you know that?”

Chloe seemed taken aback by that, and to Alya’s surprise, she straightened her back and pressed her lips into a firm line to hide how they quivered. They eyed each other for a tense moment before Chloe stalked off without another word.

“What’s with her?” Alya grumbled to herself before shrugging it off. She had better things to worry about than Chloe Bourgeois now.

x x x

“I hate this!” Chloe hissed, crossing her arms over her chest in the bathroom stall. “I told you no one is going to believe me if I’m nice. This is so stupid!”

“To be fair, you weren’t being very nice to that girl,” Pollen said pointedly.

“I don’t _want_ to be nice to her. I _hate_ her,” Chloe articulated through clenched teeth.

“Which is exactly why your powers are on the fritz. If you want to master them, you have to change the disharmony in your heart.” She flew down to touch Chloe’s chest for emphasis. “Flying requires self-control, and your trompos require focus. Neither of which are really your strong suits right now, so you can start by letting things go.”

Chloe’s lip twitched a little, and she took a heated deep breath. “Fine. I’ll try.”

As she made her way out of the bathroom, she walked past Rose and Nathaniel chatting near Rose’s locker. Nathaniel was showing her a sketch of Queen Bee, and Chloe overheard a fraction of their conversation.

“Isn’t she so cool? She’s definitely my favorite,” Nathaniel was saying excitedly.

“Totally! She’s so pretty and brave!” Rose sighed dreamily, pressing her hands to her cheeks, and Chloe smiled to herself a little.

“Pfft, please. She was a sitting duck for half the fight. Rena Rouge is a real dare-devil. Queen Bee is a total flake,” Kim chimed in.

“It’s true. Queen Bee did seem rather jarred by the whole experience while Rena Rouge showed no signs of fear,” Max added with a nod.

“She found her footing in the end and showed that even if you’re scared you can still do amazing things,” Rose countered, and Chloe felt her temper flaring.

“Ahem.” All eyes flicked to her. “Queen Bee fights with style and grace, and while she may have had a tiny, minute moment of weakness, she is without a doubt the most amazing hero of the bunch.”

“Actually, Ladybug is the leader, so I think technically _she’s_ the best.” Alix retorted.

“They’re all on the same team, so wouldn’t that make them all equal?” Mylene asked quietly.

“No way, Rena is the best.”

“Queen Bee is the prettiest!”

Chloe opened her mouth to make a sharp retort when she felt a familiar jab in her side that snapped it shut once more. With a short whine, she turned and stormed out of the room back into the courtyard. This whole being nice and humble thing was going to get old fast.

x x x

“Okay, girl, spill it. What are the deets on you and Adrien? He’s been having dinner at your house?” Alya harped later, nudging Marinette with her elbow.

“Just once,” Marinette said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “He walked me home from school the day of the incident, and Maman invited him to dinner the next day as thanks for looking out for me. He gets along really well with them, but I didn’t have any doubts about that. He’s so sweet and polite and perfect.”

“Hey, that’s a good thing, M. It’s obvious that he likes being around you, so I’d say it’s only a matter of time before he makes a move.” She tapped her chin in thought for a moment. “Unless _you_ make a move first.”

Marinette’s face darkened three shades, and she curled her shoulders in shyly. “Well, we’ve finally just started to be good friends, and I don’t want to rush anything…”

“No excuses, Marinette. He likes you. I’m sure of it, and you can wait around for him to ask you out, or you can get the ball rolling yourself.” Marinette buried her face in her hands, and Alya sighed sympathetically. “Don’t worry. I’ll totally coach you, and you’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.”

Alya rolled her eyes and patted her friend’s shoulder before steering the conversation in a different direction. “So, what do you think of the new heroes?”

“You mean Queen Bee and Rena Rouge?” Marinette sat up at that, calmer now that Adrien was no longer the topic.

“Yeah. I think they’re pretty cool, don’t you?” Alya said carefully, feeling Trixx shift in her hair.

“They seem like they have good intentions, and I think it’s great that we have more heroes to rely on,” Marinette replied thoughtfully then shrugged. “What do you think? You’re being surprisingly calm about all this.”

“Yeah, well, I…was suspended and locked at home, so I couldn’t get out to see them myself. So, what do you think about Rena…Roux, was it?”

“Rena Rouge. She seems feisty and bold. She really charged in without showing any fear. I think she’s a natural hero,” Marinette said, and Alya smiled to herself.

“I watched the news report on them. I think she seems really fierce and totally awesome. Ya know, I think you would be good friends with her if you got to know her, she really seems like- Ow!” Alya reached back to grasp for the strand of hair Trixx was tugging and let out a nervous laugh. “But ya know, I don’t know her or anything. Just making observations.”

Marinette eyed her curiously for a moment but seemed to let it go. “Yeah, I think she’s cool.”

“Great! So, school. You were gonna show me all the stuff I missed,” She said, veering the conversation once more.

“Oh, yeah!”

Alya rubbed the back of her head sourly as Marinette reached for her bag. Looks like having a confidant was out of the question. It wasn’t fair! She couldn’t talk about it on the Ladyblog; she couldn’t even tell her best friend or her family. All she wanted to do was gush about her amazing new life, but every time she so much as mentioned Rena Rouge, Trixx shut her down. Alya felt like a puppet on a string with how Trixx tugged her hair so much. Keeping a secret identity sucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a friendly reminder that if you've been binging this straight through you should get up, walk around, get some water, eat a snack, take a break. You're halfway through~


	8. Getting Down to Business

Chapter 8

Ladybug and Chat Noir stood calmly in the rooftops, waiting for their new partners to arrive. Tonight would be the first night of their training, and they were prepared to see what the newbies could do. Rena Rouge was prompt, her feet touching down on the roof right on time, and she began her barrage of questions immediately.

“So, what are we doing tonight? Patroling? Team bonding? Ancient, top secret hero rituals? Are we gonna storm Hawkmoth’s lair-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Ladybug said, holding up a hand to stop her. “Baby steps. We’ll explain everything once Queen Bee gets here.”

Rena let out an exasperated sigh and flopped onto the ground, crossing her legs and resting her chin on her fist. If she was anything, enthusiastic was it. They waited somewhat patiently for a few more minutes until a yellow and black heap landed clumsily behind them.

“Finally!” Rena jumped up energetically, and trotted over to where Queen Bee was rubbing her gut. “What took so long?”

“Rena, we all know the struggle of finding a safe time and place to slip away to attend to hero duties,” Ladybug scolded calmly, and Rena pursed her lips sourly.

“Sorry.”

“I got held up doing something very important,” Queen Bee said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Her routine mani-pedi was a necessity, especially after the day she’d had.

“What matters is we’re all here now, so let’s get down to business,” Chat declared, punching his fist into his palm.

“Are we going to tell each other our identities?” Rena asked, raising her hand, and Queen Bee felt a wave of panic shoot up her spine.

“No.” Ladybug shut her down, and Bee breathed a sigh of relief. “Our identities must remain a secret, even from each other. If that knowledge got out, it could put our loved ones in danger, so don’t tell _anyone_.”

“Even if you _really_ want to,” Chat added, glancing longingly at Ladybug who gave him a disapproving frown. “Never ever. Not allowed. Absolutely not.”

“With Hawkmoth making so many akumas lately, it’s clear that he’s taking this seriously, so we should too. We have more heroes on our side now, but his akumas are getting stronger. We need everyone to bring their A game, so let’s see what you ladies can do,” Ladybug said dutifully. “The best way to coordinate during a battle is to know what your partners are capable of. Chat Noir and I have been together for a long time-” Chat waggled his eyebrows, prompting an eye roll. “We’ve been fighting akumas together for a long time, and we both understand our powers pretty well. The more familiar we are with our abilities, the better.”

“Awesome! Team bonding!” Rena cheered, punching the air excitedly.

“Since you’re so eager, why don’t you go first, Rena?” Chat suggested, placing his staff over his shoulders. Rena twirled her flute around with a wide grin.

“Gladly.”

“So, you create illusions?” Ladybug inquired, cocking a brow.

“Yep! Every illusion takes away one of my stripes, so after five illusions I’ll change back to normal,” She explained, presenting her necklace for emphasis.

“What are the limits on your illusions? How much can you conjure up at one time?” Ladybug wore a pensive expression, arms folded over her chest as she listened intently.

“Uh, I dunno. I suppose whatever the situation calls for.” She shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Let’s go for something simple then. Close your eyes and make a copy of Chat Noir and I.”

Easy enough. Rena obeyed, blowing a few notes into her flute until two doppelgangers appeared before them. Chat stepped out to admire her handiwork with an impressed nod, but Ladybug was a little more critical.

“Close, but Chat Noir’s hair is longer, and you forgot the silver plating on his boots.” Ladybug tapped her chin. “It seems as though your memory effects the illusions you can conjure. The more clearly you can picture something, the better the illusion comes out.”

“I got yours perfect. 21 spots up front, 19 in the back.” She said with a wink. “Guess I pay more attention to you.”

Ladybug blinked in confusion for a moment, taking in Rena’s sly smile while Chat bristled beside her. She held up a hand to calm him and turned back to the gangers. “You need to focus more on details, especially if you need to cover us. It’ll be easy to spot a fake if you make mistakes.”

Rena pursed her lips sourly as Ladybug paced toward Queen Bee who puffed her chest out proudly.

“Alright, Bee. What can you do?”

“Hey, just a word of advice, little bit of a caution, but I’ve been trying to bark up that tree for months, so don’t think you can swoop in here and impress her so easily,” Chat said, ears flat against his hair and tail swishing back and forth.

“We’ll see, kitty cat,” Rena retorted with a playful grin, and Chat’s shoulder’s tensed.

“Chat!” Ladybug called as he opened his mouth to speak, so he gave her a pointed glare and signaled that he’d be watching her.

“Okay, Bee. The roof is yours.”

Queen Bee gulped, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to seem confident. She still hadn’t quite mastered flying, and she only knew what one trompo did from last battle. Pollen had told her each one did something different, but whenever she started talking, Chloe’s brain started to hurt. All this hero stuff was so much to remember, not to mention how stressed out she was from trying to be nice all day.

“I…” She started, and her colleagues gave her their undivided attention. “I can fly, kind of, and this spin top thingy can stun my enemies for a few seconds.”

“Does the other one do that too?” Rena asked, tilting her head to one side.

“Uh, well, I haven’t quite figured out what exactly this one does, but um…”

“Why don’t we test it out now?” Ladybug suggested.

“Of course. Absolutely,” Bee palmed one carefully, turning it over in her hand. “Should we maybe go somewhere else?”

“Are you worried?” Ladybug tilted her head to the side slightly.

“Well, I just need space to work is all,” She stated, folding her arms over her chest.

“Okay then. Where do you want to go?” Chat asked, and Queen Bee racked her brain.

“Uh, somewhere more open. Like the park,” She suggested.

“There’s a park not too far from here,” Rena added. “Race you there, Chat Noir!”

“Don’t think I’m gonna lose to you, rookie!” Chat countered, and the two shot off in an instant.

Ladybug raised her arm to toss her yoyo but glanced back at Queen Bee who stood hesitantly in place. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Yes.” She nodded, squeezing the trompo in her hand and pacing over to the edge carefully.

“This is a good chance to practice your flying too. I’ve noticed you’re not very good at it,” Ladybug said, coming up to her side. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not meant to be a hero, am I?” Bee said softly, and Ladybug’s eyebrows raised.

“What makes you think that?”

“I can’t control my powers very well, and my kwami wants me to change myself so much...” She turned the top over in her hands. “I wanted this more than anything, but it’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. I’ve just been trying to be like _you_ , Ladybug, but all I ever do is mess up.”

“I felt the same way at first too, ya know.” Queen Bee’s head snapped around in shock.

“Really?”

“When I first got my Miraculous, I thought there was no way I could ever be a hero,” She said, touching her earrings fondly. “I was terrified the first time we had to fight Stoneheart, and I let my fear hold me back. In fact, I failed to do my job the first time which made an even bigger mess for everyone else, and I even tried to give my Miraculous away.”

Queen Bee stared at her in disbelief, so she continued. “You were chosen for this, just like the rest of us, and you’re capable of so much more than you think. So don’t try and be me. Be your own hero, and believe in yourself. The rest of it will all fall into place, I promise.”

Bee felt her eyes watering, so she wrapped her arms around Ladybug’s neck and squeezed her tight. Now wasn’t the time to be crying in front of her idol, but those words were exactly what she needed in that moment. If Ladybug believed in her, then she’d give it her all.

“Now,” Ladybug said, pulling back. “To the park?”

“Yeah.”

Ladybug tossed her yoyo and swung effortlessly around the corner, and Queen Bee looked over the edge of the roof and took a deep breath. Carefully, she stepped out into the open air, holding her breath as she sank a few inches, but when she stayed airborne, she let out a triumphant laugh. Her body felt light and free as she soared over the city toward the park where her partners waited.

“The queen arrives at last,” Rena remarked when she landed slowly in the grass, and Bee took a bow.

“Okay, I’m ready to see what this does,” She announced, tossing a top in the air and catching it.

“Go right ahead.” Ladybug gestured to the open space.

She hooked her finger through the loop in the string and took a deep breath before rearing back and tossing the top. The string unraveled as it flew, and the top detached and proceeded to spin on the ground before it burst into a cloud of yellow smoke. They coughed and waved the air until it cleared, shaking themselves a little bit.

“Smoke bomb. Useful,” Chat hacked, slapping his chest. “We’ll have to remember not to be downwind of that one.”

“Okay, so you can stun people and create smoke,” Ladybug said thoughtfully. “Both of those can come in handy. Good work today, everyone. We’ll meet back up for training exercises tomorrow night, same time, same place.”

“Oh, and one last thing,” Chat interjected. “There’s a post battle ritual that we do that is totally necessary if you’re going to be part of this team.”

Ladybug smiled with a nod of affirmation. “That’s right! After every battle, we get together, and do this. Helps unite the team.”

Rena and Bee gave them quizzical looks as they exchanged amused grins and raised their fists. The other two exchanged looks before mirroring their actions.

“Cock it back, and then-”                  

“Bien Joué!” They chanted when all of their fists united.

“And welcome to the team.” Ladybug added, and Rena and Bee looked at their fists in admiration as the implications of that statement set in.

“See you tomorrow, m’ladies.” Chat bowed theatrically as he backed toward the entrance to the park.

“I’ve gotta head out too. See you all later!” Ladybug waved before tossing her yoyo and shooting off leaving Rena Rouge and Queen Bee alone.

“We did it!” Rena squealed once they were out of sight, hugging Bee’s neck excitedly. “We’re on the team!”

“Well, of course _I_ made it on the team,” Bee said proudly, and Rena pulled back with a laugh.

“Hey, don’t sweat it too much. Everyone is a little rough when they first start out.” She patted her shoulder. “Hey! Why don’t we meet up on our own and practice some more. That way Ladybug is sure to be impressed by how much we’re improving.”

“Okay. If you think you need the extra coaching, I suppose I could help you out,” Bee said, examining her gloved hand, and Rena snorted in amusement.

“Why thank you, your royal highness, I am honored by your hospitality,” She said, pretending to curtsy, and Bee giggled. “See you tomorrow, queenie.”

As Rena scaled the buildings effortlessly, Queen Bee smiled to herself happily. Rena Rouge was certainly an interesting character, and she had to admit that she rather liked her. Of all the people she could start out with, she was glad it was her. Perhaps that fox would be her reborn self’s first new friend.

On the flight home, she thought about what Ladybug had told her, and all the lectures Pollen had given her since they met a week ago. Her whole life she had emulated people she admired to get what she wanted. She emulated her father’s political schemes to squash competition when it arose, and she used her mother’s methods of doting affection on Adrien to keep other pests away from him. But now that she thought about it, Chloe didn’t really know who she was, or what made her uniquely her. Everything about her was taken from other people.

_“Be your own hero.”_

Chloe didn’t know who that was yet, but she was certain that she’d find her soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want you all to know, that it took every ounce of my will power not to turn this chapter into a Disney sing-along. Every ounce.  
> Lowkey LadyBee in there, but not really. This is a RoyalFox/Chlolya story. If you want some Chlonette I have a story for that too tho ;)


	9. A Familiar Face

Chapter 9

The following weeks were extremely busy between school and akumas and extra training sessions with Queen Bee, and Alya still hadn’t deleted her Ladyblog, despite Trixx’s admonition. Every time she decided to do it, her finger hesitated over the delete button. She knew the importance of keeping their identities a secret, but she still felt she owed it to her followers to report news about the heroes. Finding out their identities hadn’t been her _sole_ reason for creating the Ladyblog, just a huge part of it.

She slumped in her desk chair, thumb hovering over the delete button on her phone. Why was it so hard for her to let go? She’d been pouring her heart and soul into that blog all year, and it seemed a waste to just throw it all away. But she couldn’t exactly capture footage of herself during akuma battles, which seriously irked the journalist in her. It felt wrong to stop, against her very nature, but Trixx was right. It involved her now too and not to mention her family.

Sighing, Alya straightened up and positioned her phone on her mount. “Trixx, I’m gonna record something, so don’t come out, okay?”

Her kwami was curled up among her pillows and plushies on the bed, and she flicked her tail to indicate that she understood without speaking. Alya turned back to her desk and reached for a pen and her notepad where she wrote down ideas. Taping the pen on her chin, she soon began to write out a script. It was a simple one, short and to the point, and once she finished, she reached out and pressed record, giving herself a few beats to find her voice.

“Hey, bugheads. Alya here, and I’m bringing you some unfortunate news,” She started with a fraction of her normal enthusiasm. “Things have gotten a lot busier for me lately, and after a lot of consideration, I’ve come to realize that I just don’t have time to keep up with everything. So as of today, I will be shutting down the Ladyblog.” She took a deep breath, letting those words hang in the air for a moment. Saying it out loud made it official, gave her closure like the period at the end of a sentence.

“Running this blog has truly been my passion for so long, and I wish more than anything that I could keep it up, but it’s not possible for me anymore. I still love our heroes, and I will continue to offer them my support in any way that I can. Thank you all for following, and I wish Ladybug, Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, and Queen Bee all the luck in the world fighting akumas and fighting to keep us all safe.” She paused for a moment, pressing her lips into a firm line as she read the last sentence on the page. “This is Alya Cesaire, disconnecting for good.”

Inhaling a large breath, she reached forward and pressed stop, running a hand through her hair. Trixx floated over and nuzzled her cheek softly, a proud smile on her face.

“That took guts, kid. I know it meant a lot to you,” She said, and Alya laughed, wiping a tear from her cheek.

“It feels like I just lost a part of myself, but there are other ways to connect with people. I’ve been thinking of starting up a Rena Rouge Instagram. What do you think of that?”

“So long as you aren’t chasing your partner’s identities, or revealing your own, I don’t care what you do,” Trixx replied, floating over to the bowl of blueberries Alya had been snacking while she uploaded the video to the blog.

Things were ending, but Alya had a much sweeter gig now. Being a heroine of Paris was way more rewarding than some dumb blog. She set her phone on her desk and leaned back, massaging her eyelids. She wasn’t sure how she felt or how she should feel. It was strange how numb she felt to it all. When her phone buzzed on her desk, she leaned forward to see a familiar flashing alert on her screen.

“Akuma time, Trixx, transform me!”

x x x

Another villain successfully apprehended by Paris’ trusted heroes, and Rena was ready to get home and blog about it! She stopped short on her roof as that sinking feeling set in.

Oh yeah.

She didn’t have the Ladyblog anymore. The akuma had attacked right after she posted that video, and she hadn’t even had time to read any of the comments on it. Not that it mattered anyway, she had more important things to tend to now, so she hopped back down to her window and crawled in sullenly, dropping her transformation the second her feet touched the floor. Which is when she found herself staring into wide, honey brown eyes.

Nino stood dumbstruck in her bedroom doorway, holding up his phone while hers rang on her desk. They stood frozen, gazes locked for a long moment before Nino opened his mouth to speak, and Alya flew across the room, cupping a hand over it and pulling him inside. Kicking the door shut behind them, she slowly released her hold on him, and the word vomit proceeded.

“You’re-”

“Shh!” She hissed with a nervous glance at the door behind her.

“But you’re-”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Holy shit, you’re really-”

“ _Nino_.” She articulated. “Shut. Up.”

He clamped his mouth shut and bounced anxiously, gesturing at her with a tortured expression, so Alya sighed, leaning her head back against the door with a wince. “You can ask me two questions.”

He held up a finger, taking a breath, but stopped short and exhaled, gathering his thoughts. “Is Queen Bee as hot in person as she is on TV?”

“Seriously?” Her eyes narrowed into an unamused glare.

“Just trying to lighten the tension of the situation,” He said sheepishly, holding up defensive hands. “So, you’re really…Rena Rouge?” He whispered the last part.

Alya pinched the bridge of her nose, and it was Trixx who spoke next.

“You had one fucking job.”

“What the fuck is tha-” Alya and Trixx tackled Nino to the ground, cupping their hands over his lips. He glanced between them with a low whine, and Trixx glared accusingly at Alya.

“You should have checked before waltzing in here so casually.”

“How was I supposed to know he would be here?” She countered, a new thought dawning on her for the first time. “What _are_ you doing here, Nino?”

He mumbled something against her hands, and she finally sat up and released her silencing grip. “You posted a video saying you were shutting down the Ladyblog, and you weren’t answering your phone, so I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Well, I was a little bit busy…” She said, running her fingers through her hair guiltily.

“Is that why you’ve been so all over the place lately?” Nino cocked a brow. “I thought you were just scrambling to catch up after being suspended for a week, but this is way cooler.”

“It is pretty awesome,” She admitted, biting back a smile, but when Trixx cleared her throat, she continued. “Right. You can’t tell anyone about this.”

“Can I tell people I know Rena Rouge?”

“Absolutely fucking not.” Trixx shook her head firmly.

“Yeah, what the fuck are you?” Nino pointed, cocking his head to one side.

“This is Trixx. She’s my kwami.”

“Your kwa-who?”

“Kwa-ME. I give Alya her powers along with that necklace, and if you even think about telling anyone, I’ll eat your ass for lunch,” She said, ears flattening against her skull menacingly.

“Okay, I won’t tell anyone, damn,” He shifted to cross his legs, taking in Alya’s glum expression with a wince. “Sorry, Al.”

“It’s okay. It’s my own fault.” She shrugged it off. “I was driving myself crazy keeping it to myself, so I’m actually kind of glad you know now.”

“You haven’t told Marinette?” Nino’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“I kind of can’t.”

“Why not?” Alya jutted her chin over at Trixx.

“It could put her in danger, and the fact that you know now means _you’re_ in danger,” Trixx said solemnly. “You can’t associate yourself with Rena Rouge at all unless you wanna be akuma food.”

“Is she always this harsh?” Nino glanced back at Alya.

“On this particular subject matter? Yeah,” She replied, exchanging glares with Trixx.

“So you’re like an actual hero then?”

“Yep. The real deal,” She affirmed with a nod.

“And that’s why you shut down the Ladyblog?”

“Yep.”

“Not because you’re dying?”

“No- wait, you thought I was dying?” She gave him a sardonic look.

“No…” She slapped a palm to her forehead and sighed.

“No, I’m not dying. It’s just not exactly a good idea to have a blog devoted to discovering the identity of the leader of your superhero team,” She explained.

“How are you handling it?” He asked, giving her a knowing wince.

“I’m…okay,” She said, hugging her knees to her chest. “I- think it’s for the best. Yeah, I’m sad to see it go, but I mean, the tradeoff is I get to be a hero.”

“That’s a pretty sweet tradeoff,” Nino admitted.

“Yeah.” She tapped her feet on the floor, rocking back and forth a little. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but will you keep my secret?”

“Of course, Al.” Nino smiled warmly, an expression she returned.

“Thanks, Nino.” She leaned a head against his shoulder, a small smirk curling on her lips. “I hope you know this means I’m going to come to you every time I want to dump all my hero problems on someone.”

He let out a long sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. “I guess I can accept that.”

She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, and Nino chuckled softly beside her.

“So, seriously, how hot is Queen Bee?”

Alya tilted her head to glance up at him, biting back a smirk. “Pretty hot.”

“Ha!” Nino blurted. “So, like, what’s her deal, do you know? Do you think you could get me her number?”

“Hold up, dude. If anyone is going to hit that, it’s gonna be me, so back off,” She said with a warning look, and Nino slumped a little, pursing his lips.

“Can I try out the necklace-”

“No.” Alya and Trixx answered in unison, and Nino snapped his fingers.

“Worth a shot.”

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Nino was the perfect confidant to keep her from losing her mind, and although Trixx gave her an earful about it after he left, Alya didn’t regret him finding out. Nino was a good friend, someone she trusted, and she was glad to have that weight lifted from her shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some DJWifi BrOTPing. I must say, if they aren't a couple, I do like Alya and Nino as friends. And now he knows her secret! Because of course Alya would be the one to get found out. XD   
> Also, don't worry about the Ladyblog. She gets around it, you'll see soon. :)


	10. Your Biggest Fan

Chapter 10

“What do you think about this one?” Marinette asked, holding up a light pink dress.

“Mmm, seems a bit _too_ dressy,” Alya said, examining it critically. “You are only going to the movies after all.”

“I know,” She sighed dreamily, melting against the rack. “The movies with _Adrien_ , can you believe it? He actually said yes! I’d make an outfit myself, but there just isn’t enough time. I really didn’t think the timing part all the way through, but it doesn’t matter. He actually said yes!”

“You two have been moving pretty quickly lately,” Alya remarked with a knowing smirk. “And tomorrow’s your first date.”

“Well, we’re still only friends, but I think he likes me, or well, I _hope_ he likes me. He wouldn’t have agreed to it if he didn’t like me, right?”

“Totally. Nino told me that Adrien talks about you a lot lately, and I bet that tomorrow you two are gonna move out of the friend zone.” Alya placed a reassuring hand on her shoulders, and Marinette giggled ecstatically.

Chloe’s shoulders tensed a couple racks away, and she clutched the cardigan in her hands tightly. She wasn’t enthused with how chummy Marinette had been getting with Adrien lately, but Pollen was insistent that she not get involved. Adrien was one of the last things she had, and even he was being distant after the incident several weeks ago.

“What do you think about this one?” Marinette stepped out of the dressing room and twirled around for Alya’s approval.

Chloe’s hands clenched into tight fists and before she could think better of it, she found herself snapping, “Adrien’s the son of an esteemed fashion designer. Do you really think he’ll be interested in some peasant in an ugly dress?”

Alya spun around to face her, eyes narrowing into a glare, and Chloe instinctively took a step back. Pollen’s stinger dug into her thigh, and Chloe winced in pain as Alya bowed up to her.

“Can you go one day without being the worst human on the face of the planet?”

“I-” Chloe shrank a little, rubbing the sore spot on her leg. “Whatever. I don’t have time for you two.”

Marinette and Alya watched in bewilderment as she stormed off to the other end of the store before exchanging glances.

“What’s with her?” Marinette said under her breath. “It’s not like her to back down so easily.”

“I dunno. She’s been acting weird lately. It’s like she’s constantly in pain; do you think she’s sick or something?”

“Maybe?” Marinette shrugged.

Chloe ducked into a changing booth and pulled the curtain shut, leaning against the mirror with a sigh. Pollen flitted up from her purse and gave her a disapproving frown, so Chloe averted her gaze.

“Yeah, yeah, I know that wasn’t very nice of me,” She said, hugging her knees to her chest. “It’s just that Marinette and I have a long-standing history, and now Adrien’s been paying attention to her more than me, and…he’s really the only true friend I have, so it bugs me.”

Pollen eyed her for a moment before gliding down to rest on her arm. “Learning to forgive someone you hate takes time. It’s a lesson I’ve had to teach with my past queens many a time…usually, it’s not an issue they have personally, but rather, a lesson they teach _others_ , but it can apply here too.”

“I just don’t see a point in being nice to them. Even if I forgive Marinette for being annoying, she’s probably never going to forgive me,” Chloe said, picking at her shoes.

“Sometimes people don’t forgive you, but that rests on their shoulders, not yours. But you’ll never know for sure unless you try to make amends. Who knows? Maybe she’ll surprise you.” Chloe shot Pollen a small smile and nuzzled her softly against her cheek.

“Okay, fine, I’ll go talk to them,” Chloe groaned, rolling her eyes and standing up with a sigh. And here all she wanted was a relaxing day of shopping, but she supposed all this hero business never really stopped. Being Queen Bee was much more important to her than some age-old feud even if it was Marinette.

A shrill screech pierced her ear drum the moment she left the dressing room, and she was greeted by a mannequin flying straight toward her. Taking a defensive stance, she reached for her purse to find Pollen, but an orange suit crashed into her side, knocking her to the ground.

“Look out!” Rena shielded her as the mannequin crashed through the doorway where Chloe had been standing moments before, and she found herself on her back, staring into hazel eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Chloe affirmed with a nod, cheeks flushing as Rena helped her up. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, get out of here and find somewhere safe to hide,” Rena ordered, twirling her flute around in her hand.

Chloe clutched her purse to her chest before racing out the front door. She quickly ducked behind a parked car and spoke the command.

“Polly, transform me!”

x x x

Alya clutched her phone to her chest, peaking around the corner at Chloe as she primped her hair at her locker. She’d been acting off lately, and after Rena saved her skin the other day, she didn’t bite back with her usual proud and self-appreciative antics. Something was up with Chloe Bourgeois, and Alya was starting to get weirded out by how quiet she was being lately.

“Isn’t spying on Chloe what got you in trouble last time?” Nino teased in her ear, and she startled, clamping a hand over his mouth.

“Shh! I’m not spying on her, this time, I’m trying to muster up the courage to go ask her for an interview for my new blog because Rena Rouge saved her yesterday” Alya hissed. “Plus she’s been acting weird lately, and I kinda wanna get to the bottom of it.”

“You mean _you_ saved her yesterday,” Nino said with a smirk.

“Shh!” Alya covered his mouth again. “I wasn’t about to let her get crushed by a mannequin. Besides, heroes have to be non-biased. All of our beef stays between Alya and Chloe.”

“So, wait a second. You shut down the Ladyblog because it was too dangerous, and now you’ve started up a new one?” Nino folded his arms over his chest and nodded at her phone.

“The Miraculous Heroes blog has a broader focus than just Ladybug, and the main angle is focused on coverage of the heroes in battle and supporting them, not finding out their identities,” Alya said defensively, and Trixx poked her head out of a tuft of hair.

“She found a loophole, and I can’t say her determination and head-strong attitude toward something she wants isn’t impressive,” The kwami sighed.

“Honestly, I’m surprised it took her three whole days to start a new blog. I figured she’d cave the same day,” Nino said with a laugh, and Alya slumped grouchily.

“Don’t patronize me, or I’ll kick your butt,” She shot back.

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “By the way, your interview is walking out the door.”

Alya spun around to see Chloe disappearing into the courtyard, and she slammed her locker shut before dashing after her.

“Chloe! Wait up!”

She paused, shoulders tensing a little as she turned around, and a skeptical glare cut through Alya like a dagger. “What do _you_ want?”

“Uh, well, I noticed yesterday that Rena Rouge saved you in that boutique, and I was wondering if maybe you’d like to do an interview for my new blog,” She explained, holding up her phone for emphasis.

“Didn’t you shut down your lame blog or something?” Chloe cocked a brow. “And why are you asking _me_?’

“I shut down the _Ladyblog_. This is for my new blog, and trust me, I wouldn’t be asking you if I didn’t need material,” She said the last part to herself.

“I’m very busy,” Chloe replied, shifting her weight a little.

“What time works for you? I could come over after school. I’ve…got some stuff to do later this evening as well.” Chloe searched her expression for a moment before rolling her eyes.

“Fine. 4 o’clock sharp at the hotel. I want to be camera ready,” She said before abruptly turning and walking away.

“Um, thanks!” Alya called after her, and Chloe let out a breath as she climbed the stairs.

Pollen peeked out of her jacket with an approving smile, and Chloe pursed her lips to hide her own. Making amends with Alya seemed easier than with Marinette, so Chloe had decided to start there and work her way up, a plan Pollen applauded. Besides, an interview talking about Rena Rouge seemed easy enough. After all, Rena was a dear friend, and Chloe did adore being on camera.

That afternoon, Alya arrived at the Grand Paris and made her way up to Chloe’s suite. She was surprised Chloe had agreed to it without a fuss or even a snide remark about how having such a superstar like her would boost her views. Maybe Chloe was finally growing out of her spoiled-rotten routine.

Alya knocked on the door, and a moment later, Chloe’s butler opened it and gestured her inside. Chloe was adjusting her make up in the mirror as she walked in, and before Alya could speak, Chloe waved her to the couch where professional lighting had been installed.

Or maybe not.

“Don’t sit on the left,” Chloe ordered as Alya set her bag down. “That’s my good side.”

Rolling her eyes, Alya settled in on the right side and pulled out her phone as Chloe sauntered over and plopped down across from her. “Thanks for doing this.”

“Well, your sad little blog could use a- ow!” She slapped a hand onto the back of her neck and rubbed it sorely. “What I meant to say was…it’s my pleasure.”

“Great, then let’s get started…” Alya cocked a curious brow then hit record. “Can you tell me what happened yesterday at the boutique?”

“Well, I was coming out of the dressing room when some dreadfully ugly akuma was rampaging through the store, apparently one of the sales associates got fired, and she had the audacity to throw a mannequin right at me. If only she knew whose daughter I was, she would have thought twice about it,” Chloe recounted, flipping her hair over one shoulder. “Anyways, I was extremely lucky that Rena Rouge was there to save me. She knocked me out of the way just in time, although my jacket did get dust on it from the floor, but I guess it’s better than being crushed.”

“So, some Parisians have been skeptical of the new heroines, but would you say that Rena Rouge is a true hero like Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

“Absolutely. Rena is extremely brave and resourceful. She’s a true asset to the team,” Chloe praised, crossing one leg over the other. “She and Queen Bee are definitely true heroines.”

Alya felt her cheeks flush a little hearing such high praises from Chloe. Granted, Chloe said kind things about Ladybug all the time too, but it was different in this case since she was, indirectly, talking about Alya so fondly. Sometimes she forgot that Chloe could turn off the nastiness for a minute.

“So, in your opinion, why do you think some people prefer Ladybug and Chat Noir over Rena Rouge and Queen Bee?”

“Simple. People are idiots, and they can’t recognize true heroism even if it bit them in the butt,” Chloe said, gesticulating for emphasis. “I’ve been personally saved numerous times by Ladybug, and I consider myself to be her most illustrious fan, but even I think that Rena Rouge is incredibly clever, sophisticated, and heroic. If other people can’t see that then there’s no other explanation. They’re idiots.”

“Uh, thank you for your time,” Alya said, standing up and slinging her bag over her shoulder, cheeks burning. “See you at school!”

Chloe cocked a brow as she dashed from the suite, slamming the front door behind her. She leaned back against the couch cushion with a contemplative frown as Pollen fluttered over.

“What got into her?” She grunted, and Pollen shrugged.

“You had a lot of nice things to say about your partner. Why can’t you be that way with other people?” Her kwami teased, and Chloe’s cheeks flushed a little.

“Because other people are lame, and Rena Rouge is a dear friend who I have to go meet with soon for a training session, so stock up on bonbons,” She said haughtily, and Pollen rolled her eyes, nevertheless doing as she was told.

Chloe didn’t have time to worry about Alya; she had a partner to meet.

  * \- -



“Hey, bumblebee,” Rena greeted when her feet touched down on the roof. She wore her usual sideways grin and playful glint that always put Queen Bee’s mind at ease.

“Hello, Rena. Still competing with Chat Noir to see who can come up with better nicknames?” She said with a chuckle. “I’ve got a few suggestions for you.”

“I’m all ears, honey.”

“You always play off the ‘bee’ part of my name but almost never the ‘queen’ part, and I think you’re missing a lot of opportunity there,” She said matter-of-factly.

“Oh?” Her partner cocked a brow.

“Yes. So, I was thinking, how do you feel about ‘your royal excellency’ or maybe ‘radiant golden queen’ if you’re feeling extra saucy.”

“How about my _bee_ utiful partner?” Rena winked, and Queen Bee weighed it for a moment, biting back a smile.

“I think it could use a little more finesse, but whatever makes you happy.” She rolled her eyes in feigned annoyance, and Rena reached for her flute.

“Shall we?” She asked.

“I’ve been watching a lot of karate movies, so you better watch your back, foxy.”

Rena charged forward, striking out with her flute which Bee caught between her hands easily. Their training had become routine and at times felt more like a dance than a fight. It made actual battles run smoother as they became more comfortable with each other, learning their patterns of movement as well as body language.

Queen Bee felt so free on those nights spent with Rena, and she’d come to regard her fondly. Rena never judged her when she messed up, only picked her back up and pushed her forward. With her, there was no prejudice or distrusting stares, only warmth and acceptance. It made Chloe prefer her life behind the mask because things were so much simpler. The city idolized her, Rena adored her, and she in turn Rena, but most importantly, she felt a sense of pride that was different from anything she’d ever felt before. A pride that only came from doing the right thing, and it was easy to bask in it when no one was undermining it because of her past.

“I think that’s enough for tonight,” Rena panted, leaning her hands on her knees.

“Quitting already? I know I’m amazing, but it’s not like you to leave so soon.” Bee fluffed her hair proudly but gave Rena a quizzical look.

“I know. I’ve just got…stuff to do, and I had a long day,” Rena said, averting her gaze.

“Is everything alright?” Queen Bee’s eyebrows furrowed worriedly.

“Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind, but don’t worry about me,” Rena insisted, waving it away.

“Thinking of more nicknames for me?” She said with a playful smirk.

“You know it, queenie,” Her partner shot back with a crooked grin and a bit more semblance of herself.

“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She relented as if it were an inconvenience, but she flashed her a warm smile. “Thanks for practicing with me tonight. It…really helps, not that I need it.”

“No, of course not,” Rena said teasingly. “It’s always a pleasure seeing you, Bee.”

“And you as well, Rena.” She nodded.

“Good night, my radiant bug queen.”

“Good night, Rena Rouge.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love that it's canon that Alya has like a million blogs for everything. You can't keep that girl away for too long ;)  
> Starting to get more into the contrast between Alya/Chloe and Rena/QB now. If I had more time, I would have included the fight scene at the boutique for more hero time, but rip my life.  
> Hope you're all enjoying thus far! Take a potty break if you've been sitting for a while.


	11. On My Mind

Chapter 11

Alya rested her chin on her desk, looping the Chloe interview for the hundredth time since she’d gotten home from her training with Queen Bee. She hadn’t been on her A-game that night, and she wondered why she couldn’t shake that tingling sensation in her gut. So Chloe was a Rena Rouge fan, so what? She also adored Ladybug and Queen Bee, so it’s not like she was anything special. Still, it felt strange to hear her say such nice things about Alya’s alter-ego because, in a way, she was saying them about Alya too.

In her mind, Chloe had always been nothing more than an evil brat, but even the most infamous of villains always had a story, and for the first time since she’d met Chloe, Alya wondered about her. How had Chloe become such a menace to society, and was there anyone underneath worth saving? A few weeks ago she might have given a different answer but seeing the light in Chloe’s eyes as she prattled on about Rena Rouge made her increasingly more uncertain.

Perhaps it was merely only flattery that had Alya’s brain so frazzled, but plenty of people had been saying nice things about Rena lately. Why did hearing it from Chloe make any difference?

“Something on your mind, kiddo?” Trixx asked, sinking down on top of Alya’s head.

“I dunno. I guess I just expected the interview with Chloe to be a little more…unpleasant?” She pursed her lips and finally paused the loop running on her phone. “When she was talking about Rena, she seemed, I dunno, different. There wasn’t any of her normal pretentiousness, or attempts to brag about how she could do better or how her jacket getting messed up was worse than World War I or whatever she could find to complain about. It was…nice.”

“People can change, ya know,” Trixx said pointedly. “Maybe she regrets what she did to your friend and wants to be better.”

“She has been acting strange around us lately,” Alya admitted, tapping her chin. “I think I need some fresh air to clear my head. Do you mind?”

“Sure, kiddo.”

Rena leapt high above the roofs of Paris, headed in no particular direction, only where her feet carried her. The night was calm and quiet, a perfect night for Marinette’s date with Adrien. Actually, they should be getting out of their movie soon, so maybe she’d check in on them…just for a moment.

Several groups were exiting the theater when Rena landed on the flat across the street, and she squinted to focus her sight. She spotted Kim, Alix, and Max leaving together amidst several other faces she didn’t recognize until a familiar mop of blond hair walked out with a tiny set of pigtails attached to his arm. Rena smiled to herself as she watched them walk hand-in-hand to the subway, chatting animatedly about the movie, and finally continued on her way once they disappeared down the stairs. She couldn’t wait to hear all the details later.

Once she had put some distance between her and the theater, her mind wandered back to Chloe’s interview. She knew she was overthinking it, but that didn’t make it any better or stop the rapid currents in her mind. For the longest time, she thought she had Chloe figured out, but now she wasn’t so sure anymore. Alya had always written her off as the villain of this story when, in reality, she didn’t know that much about Chloe’s personal life.

“Ugh, okay fine.” Rena stopped short at the sound of a voice, realizing in an instant what part of town she was in. Chloe paced around her balcony, shoulders tense, and Rena perked her ears to listen.

“Hey, Alya, thanks for interviewing me for your blog. Wanna hang out after school?” She rehearsed stiffly, and Rena’s eyebrows raised. “Who am I kidding? That’s never going to work.”

Was Chloe practicing how to be nice?

“Ugh, this is so stupid! She’s never going to want to be my friend; she hates me,” She groaned, leaning against the railing with a sigh.

Before Rena could stop herself, she leapt over the edge of the roof and landed in a crouch on the balcony a few feet away from Chloe, startling her slightly until she realized who it was. They locked eyes, and Rena’s heart accelerated as it dawned on her that she’d just intruded on an innocent, at least this time, citizen’s life. To her surprise, Chloe made no sharp remarks or grandiose gestures, but instead relaxed and shifted her gaze back to her hands resting on the stone railing.

“Um, I was just passing through, and I, uh, you were out, and I was just wondering- how are you? After yesterday, I mean?” She stammered.

“I’m fine,” She said quietly, eyes hooded in a distant trance as she looked out over the city.

“O-kay, well, I’m gonna go then. Um, I’m glad you’re alright,” She said awkwardly, shifting her haunches in preparation to leap across the street, but Chloe slumped a little and curled her shoulders in timidly.

“Wait! Will you…stay for a little while?” She asked, and Rena turned back to her, searching her meek expression curiously.

“Uh, sure,” She said with a nod, carefully settling down and swinging her legs over the edge.

“Thanks,” Chloe murmured, twining her fingers together and shifting her weight. They sat in silence for a long moment, as Chloe gathered her thoughts, and Rena waited patiently, tensing a little each time she drew in a breath to speak and then let it out when words failed her.

“Can I ask you something?” She settled on finally.

“Sure.” Rena shrugged, eyes narrowing cautiously.

“Lately I’ve been trying to…change, and I’m having a hard time,” She stated, choosing her words carefully. “Someone pointed out to me that I’m not very nice to people-” The understatement of the century, not that Rena was going to point it out. “And they’ve been encouraging me to fix that, but the only problem is, I don’t really know how.”

“You don’t know how to be nice?” Rena cocked a brow, attempting to mask her smirk, and Chloe puffed her cheeks out grumpily.

“It doesn’t come naturally to me, okay? I’ve never been good at making friends. No matter what I try everyone just rejects me,” She said with a frown, and Rena winced. “Living a life like mine, it’s easier to be someone’s boss than their friend, but the only friends I have don’t even like to be around me anymore. And I haven’t exactly been successful in making any new ones.”

She wiped a hand across her eye to catch a tear before it fell and sniffled. Something about seeing her so raw and open felt odd to Rena. From the first day she’d met Chloe, she always thought she wasn’t capable of feeling, and she’d never considered that maybe the reason Chloe hurt others was because she was hurting too. For the first time since they’d met, she had to wonder how Chloe got to be the way she was because the sadness in her eyes seemed to run a little too deep.

“I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.” Chloe shook herself and rubbed her eyes. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay,” Rena assured her, holding up defensive hands. “I guess, if you don’t mind me asking, why do you treat everyone so coldly if you want to be their friend?”

“I thought that if I controlled everything then no one could ever leave me again. My…mom left us when I was little, and I became afraid that everyone I loved would end up leaving me too.” Chloe laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “I know it doesn’t excuse the things that I’ve done. I just don’t know how else to be.” She glanced back at Rena and shrugged. “And I’m scared that no matter what I do, I’ll end up alone in the end.”

“You’re not alone right now,” Rena said with a smile. “I’m here.”

Chloe smiled and turned back to face her arms folded on the balcony rail. “For now.”

Rena pursed her lips, considering whether she wanted to do this or not, but she supposed that everyone needed a hero, and she shouldn’t hold a grudge for things of the past. So she nudged Chloe with her elbow and flashed her a kind smile.

“You were practicing earlier, right?” Chloe’s cheeks flushed in response, and Rena chuckled good-naturedly. “Why don’t you practice on me?”

“Y-You want me to practice being your friend?” Her eyebrows raised, and Rena nodded in affirmation.

“I’ll even be your real friend, if you ask me nicely.” She winked, and Chloe perked up.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ll be your first new friend. Then maybe it’ll be easier for you to make other friends,” She said, and Chloe’s smile widened.

“You’re so nice!” She squeaked, locking her arms around Rena’s neck and pulling her into a tight hug.

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” She choked, patting Chloe’s back lightly until she finally let go, and Rena sat back with an expectant cock of her brow.

Chloe shifted nervously, clasping her hands together in front of her and clearing her throat. “Rena Rouge, will you…be my friend?”

“Of course, Chloe. I’d love to be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's beginning to look a lot like gay stuff~ Look at the babs growing and doing stuff. The next few chapters get even cuter and gayer. :) Also there's some Adrinette in there too.


	12. Kindling Friendship

Chapter 12

The next day at school, Alya noticed that Chloe wore a small smile and in result, she bit back one of her own. Chloe Bourgeois had actually made her smile, now that was a first. Alya wasn’t sure who was encouraging her to be nicer, but she had an idea of who _might_ know.

“Hey, Sabrina,” Alya said, leaning against her locker as the girl packed her bag.

“Hi, Alya,” She replied, giving her a skeptical once-over. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing, just saying hello.” She pursed her lips and shifted her weight. “So, how are things with you and Chloe? Is that her math homework you’re holding?”

“Uh, no, Chloe actually told me to stop doing her homework about a month ago,” Sabrina admitted, hugging her bag to her chest with a frown. “She’s been acting a lot different lately. She doesn’t want me to do her homework; she’s always flaking on our roleplaying nights, and she’s been keeping to herself a lot lately.”

“Any idea why?” Alya prodded, but Sabrina only shrank more.

“I think she might be mad at me, but I can’t think of what I’ve done. I’ve tried apologizing several times, but she always tells me she isn’t upset,” She said, gaze lowering to her shoes. “I just think she doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.”

“So, you have no idea why she’s been acting this way?” Sabrina shook her head, and Alya slouched disappointedly. “Okay, no prob, Sabrina. Nice talking to you, and I hope it all works out!”

“Thanks?” Sabrina’s eyebrows furrowed as Alya raced off to the bench where Nino was casually listening to his headphones. She slid into his side and ripped them off, and he shot her a glare but cocked an interested brow.

“I need your opinion on something,” She explained, and he set his headphones aside to give her his undivided attention.

“Is it hero related?” He smirked hopefully.

“Sort of. So, I interviewed Chloe yesterday for my blog, and she said a lot of nice things about Rena Rouge, and now I feel weird,” She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest. “I went by later as you-know-who, and we kind of talked, and I’m starting to think she’s not so horrible after all which is crazy, but I think she wants to be my friend, and I don’t really know how I feel about that, but-”

“Al.” Nino cut her off, and she offered him an apologetic wince.

“She’s just been acting weird lately, and I kind of found out that it’s because she wants to be nicer to people but doesn’t know how,” She said, shifting her gaze back to her lap. “Rena already agreed to be her friend, but Alya isn’t so sure what she should do.”

“Would it hurt to be friends with, Chloe?” Nino asked pointedly. “I mean, maybe if you befriend her, she’ll get better. You’re a positive influence.”

“Yeah, it just weirds me out cause it’s Chloe, ya know? You spend all your time seeing someone a certain way, and then all of a sudden they seem to be something completely different…” She leaned against her knees with a pout. “What would you do?”

“If Chloe really wants to be your friend, I’d be her friend,” Nino answered with a shrug, and Alya turned to face him with a surprised gape. “People can change, Al.”

“Yeah, I guess,” She mumbled as the bell rang.

Alya’s spine pricked the moment she entered the classroom and made direct eye contact with Chloe sitting in the front row, and she quickly averted her gaze and took her usual seat by Marinette. Her best friend was chatting contently with Adrien who was turned in his seat to face her. They seemed to be full of energy after what had appeared to Alya a successful date to the movies the night before.

“Class, settle down,” Mlle. Bustier ordered politely as she strolled in and took her place up front. “Today we will be holding group discussion of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and you will have the rest of the week to prepare a presentation on the role of one of the relationships throughout. Your groups are as follows: Juleka and Rose, you will discuss Mr. Darcy and Georgiana’s familial bond.”

The two girls smiled at each other, and Rose leaned her head on Juleka’s shoulder happily.

“Kim, Alix, and Max, Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins.” The two boys fist bumped with accepting nods, and Alix sighed, slumping a little in her seat. “Ivan and Mylene, the Gardiners. Nathaniel and Sabrina, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.”

Alya felt her stomach churning nervously as she glanced at Chloe. _Please, pair her with someone else._

“Nino and Lila, Lydia and Mr. Wickham.”

_Please._

“Marinette and Adrien, Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley.”

_No!_

“And Chloe and Alya will discuss Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.”

_Shit._

Chloe glanced back at her with pursed lips, and Alya sighed as their classmates paired off, eventually grabbing her tablet and moving down to sit beside her. They remained quiet for a moment before Alya finally took a deep breath and turned to face her.

“So, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth,” She started, and Chloe’s shoulders tensed a little.

“Yeah.” She nodded, picking up her stylus carefully and pulling up her notes.

“I suppose I should just wait to talk to Sabrina this afternoon, right?” She said, cocking a brow, and Chloe winced.

“I’ve decided to do my own work, thank you very much,” She retorted with a humph.

“What brought that on?” Chloe’s shoulders curled in a little more, and Alya eyed her for a moment before turning to her own tablet. “Never mind then. So, Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship is the central part of the story, and their conflict lies in Elizabeth’s first impression of him that taints her vision of him through most of the story.”

“Because she thought he was a jerk,” Chloe added.

“Right…” Alya affirmed, pressing her lips into a firm line. “But by the end, she realizes that her first impression of him wasn’t exactly a true reflection of his character, and she finds that he can actually be really nice when he wants to be. I think we should highlight how their feelings shifted their perceptions of each other.”

“Okay, you can come over this afternoon, and we can work on it,” Chloe said quietly.

“Sounds good.” Alya nodded, eyeing her curiously. Perhaps a visit from Rena Rouge had done a lot more good for Chloe than Alya anticipated.

That afternoon, Chloe paced her bedroom floor anxiously in anticipation of Alya’s arrival. She’d been too nervous to say anything earlier, but now she’d had time to stew about the time they were going to spend together, and she was decidedly feeling even worse. It was silly of her to be so frazzled, but she’d never really done this sort of thing before. It couldn’t be that hard, but given their history, Chloe was afraid that Alya wouldn’t forgive her after all. She supposed there were plenty of other people to befriend if this endeavor failed, but something inside her felt like this was something she had to do. Not just for Pollen’s approval, but in order to overcome the walls she’d built for herself all those years ago.

The walls she built the day her mom left.

Chloe was only a little girl at the time, but she remembered that day vividly. At the time, she didn’t understand why her mother was going away. Divorce was a foreign word to her, but it’s a word she came to understand quite well. A word she came to loathe because it was the word that sent her mother away without ever looking back. She’d spent years bottling the hurt she felt and throwing it at others, without the slightest hint of remorse at times, but now she realized that all that hurt had eaten her from the inside out. She’d become cruel, just like the mother that left her, and since becoming a hero, she begun to desire more for herself.

“Mademoiselle?” Her butler called, snapping her out of her trance. “Your classmate has arrived.”

“Send her in,” Chloe said, taking a deep breath and smoothing her jacket.

“You can do this,” Pollen whispered in her ear, and Chloe offered a small smile in response.

“Welcome back,” Chloe greeted when Alya strolled in, and she gestured to the couch. “Shall we?”

“Uh, yeah,” Alya blinked and sat down stiffly. “So, you’re okay with reading through and writing about Elizabeth’s first impression of Mr. Darcy, right?”

“Yes. Of course,” She said, tugging at the hems of her shirt.

“Okay.”

Silence fell between them, and Chloe pulled out her tablet and stole a few glances over at Alya who was also absorbed by her screen. They worked like that for a while, both involved in their own tasks and unsure of what to say to the other until Alya couldn’t take it anymore.

“So, you and Sabrina haven’t been joined at the hip lately, I’ve noticed,” She said, clearing her throat.

“Sometimes you have to do things for yourself,” She replied, glancing up and meeting Alya’s gaze, just as uncertain and guarded as her own. “I’m trying something new.”

“She thinks you hate her.”

“I don’t hate her, it’s just…” Chloe set her tablet down in her lap and frowned. “I’ve always used her, and being around her makes me feel guilty.”

“Why don’t you tell her that?” Alya cocked a brow, and she shrugged.

“I don’t know how,” She mumbled after a moment, and Alya eyed her with a pensive purse of her lips.

“Nice cut-out,” She said, nodding to Chloe’s life-sized, cardboard Ladybug standee.

“Thanks,” She fixed her gaze on it, and forced her shoulders down a little. “It helps remind me to try harder every day.”

“So, this something new that you’re trying…” Alya tilted her head to the side a little. “Is that why you’ve been so quiet lately?”

“I’ve adopted the philosophy that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all,” She admitted with a shrug. “I’m not so good at the whole being nice and making friends thing.”

She stopped short, clamping her jaw shut and picking her tablet back up.

“Why do you care?” She asked tartly.

“I-m just curious,” Alya enunciated before turning back to her work. “You’ve just been acting different. N-Not in a bad way, just different.”

“Well, I’m glad you noticed.” She tapped her stylus on her leg nervously, biting her lip. “So, how did the interview turn out?”

“Oh, it was fine. People loved it,” Alya replied. “Um, thanks again for agreeing to do that.”

“No problem.” She offered a smile that Alya returned.

“You know, you’re not so horrible when you’re like this,” Alya remarked, and Chloe felt her cheeks flush.

“Neither are you,” She said, averting her gaze and shifting slightly. “So, Elizabeth and Darcy.”

Chloe returned to her tablet, feeling Alya’s eyes on her for a few seconds longer before she did the same, and Chloe dared to steal a peak. A smile remained curled on her lips, and when Chloe glanced back at her screen, she felt one of her own forming. Maybe she could do the whole nice thing after all, or at the very least, she was learning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the parallels come in at last~ This is a very loose P&P AU. Also, all the groups are established background ships, and I tried to assign them relationships that embodied them, but it didn't work out in all cases though. I mostly wanted to highlight how Alya's initial impression of Chloe tainted her view, and now she's starting to see her in a different light.


	13. A Bee, a Fox, and a Beach

Chapter 13

“Where are we going?” Trixx mumbled in Alya’s ear as she walked up the street from her family’s flat toward the Seine.

“The beaches open today,” Alya replied, adjusting her tote bag on her shoulder. “Every summer they fill the areas along the Seine with sand and make a beach in the city. Everyone from class is going today.”

“Are you gonna swim?” Trixx asked excitedly, peaking down over her forehead, and Alya pushed her back up into her sun hat.

“Me? No. You couldn’t pay me to get in that water,” Alya scoffed, and Trixx slumped a little.

“I love swimming,” She grumbled as Alya descended the stairs down onto the sandy beach.

“Marinette said they’d be around in front of the school somewhere,” She commented to herself, shielding her eyes from the sun with a hand while she looked around.

“Alya!” She spotted her bff waving with a cheerful smile. Behind her on a green towel sat, or rather _posed_ , Adrien, seriously was that boy ever not modeling, while Nino fumbled with his lounge chair.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” Nino teased when she made it over and fished out her beach towel.

“I told you, I had to babysit my sisters this morning until my mom got back from her hair appointment,” She shot back with an eye roll, situating herself beside Marinette.

“I hear Kim and Alix are hosting a volley ball game in a little bit, do you wanna play on our team?” Adrien offered, and Alya fixed her gaze on his arm draped behind Marinette and smiled.

“Mmm, all I want to do is lay my happy butt on this towel and soak up these UV rays,” Alya replied, stretching out on her stomach and resting her head on her arms. “Sorry, but maybe I’ll get some footage for the school blog.”

“Fair enough. Marinette and I have been practicing, and I think we’re gonna give them a run for their money, assuming someone doesn’t trip over her own two feet.” Adrien offered her a playful grin, and she scrunched her nose and stuck out her tongue.

“Just for that I’m not going to knit you a matching sweater for Christmas this year,” She said, crossing her arms over her chest with a humph.

“No, I’m sorry. You’ll be great,” He said pulling her into a side hug. “Please knit us matching sweaters.”

“Get a room, you two,” Alya giggled with a playful gag, and their cheeks flushed.

“Looks like they’re selling ice cream over there. Shall we take a stroll m’lady, so someone can soak up some vitamin D and hopefully cheer up a little?” Adrien shot Alya a pointed smirk and offered Marinette his arm.

“That sounds amazing. It’s so hot today.”

Alya watched them go with a proud smile. After all that time, they were finally a real couple, holding hands and cracking jokes like old friends. No one would ever know that just a couple months ago, Marinette was a flustered mess around him, and Alya couldn’t be happier for her.

“So, what’s the scoop on you and Chloe?” Nino asked once they were far enough away.

“I dunno. I haven’t talked to her that much since that project, but finals were rough, and there have been a lot of akumas lately,” Alya said, pursing her lips. “We had a moment, but I wouldn’t necessarily call us friends. At least Alya and Chloe aren’t friends.”

“Yet,” Nino reminded her pointedly, and she rested her cheek on her forearm with a sigh.

“I’m not going to do all the work for her. If she wants to be my friend, she’s going to have to ask me nicely,” She replied, blinking an eye open when he remained silent.

His gaze was fixed nervously straight ahead, and Alya sat up on her elbows, turning to see perfectly manicured feet standing beside her towel. Slowly, her eyes trailed upwards past a yellow bikini until she reached those piercing blue eyes and blonde ponytail glaring daggers at Nino with a sour purse to her lips. Her shoulders were tense, and her hands balled into fists at her sides.

“Hey, Chloe, what’s up?” Alya dared to ask, and Chloe ripped her gaze away from Nino for a brief moment.

“Can I sit here?” She asked, pointing to the ground at her feet.

“Uh, yeah, sure, I guess.” Chloe’s gaze flicked back to Nino who shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m gonna go find Adrien and Marinette and get some ice cream,” He said slowly, standing up without breaking eye contact before promptly darting off up the beach.

Chloe rolled her shoulders back and set her bag next to Alya’s before stepping aside to let her butler set up her reclining chair, and Alya cocked a brow at her. “What?”

“Nothing.” Alya shook her head, laying back down. “Just you and Sabrina usually pick a spot away from everyone.”

“Well, Sabrina is on vacation with her family, and you’re the next least horrible person in the class, so,” She said before clearing her throat and taking her seat.

“Thank you?” She blinked a couple times before closing her eyes and doing her best to focus on relaxing which was easier said than done with Chloe constantly ruffling through her bag, applying sunscreen, shifting, clearing her throat, so after a couple minutes Alya rolled over and sat up.

“Do you want to go get some ice cream?” She offered, and Chloe tapped her fingers on her legs.

“Ice cream is fattening. Let’s get smoothies,” She said simply, and Alya shrugged indifferently.

“Sure, whatever.”

“Jean Marc, watch our things,” Chloe ordered, signaling the butler over.

The smoothie stand was a ways up the beach, and they spent most of the walk in silence. Every now and then, Alya glanced at Chloe who quickly averted her gaze elsewhere until she thought Alya had looked away again. A couple of times, her chest rose as if she were drawing a breath to say something, but then it fell flat again when she couldn’t decide on what. It was kind of cute how awkward she was, a sickening realization on Alya’s part as ‘Chloe’ and ‘cute’ were two things she never thought she’d group together in a sentence unless ‘is not’ was between them. But she had to admit, she could get used to nice, shy Chloe; maybe she could even learn to like her.

“So, how did finals go?” Alya asked finally, putting her out of her misery.

“Fine.”

She pursed her lips and glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. “Any big plans this summer?”

“I plan to do as little as possible.”

“Amen to that,” Alya grunted as they approached the smoothie stand.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it,” Chloe insisted, waving her away when Alya opened her wallet, cheeks flushing when she was met with an incredulous look. “Don’t look at me like that!”

“Sorry, just wondering what alien species cloned you,” Alya teased, and Chloe puffed out her cheeks grumpily but made no retort. “What? Nothing? That’s not like you.”

“I told you; I’m trying out this whole nice thing,” She said, blowing out the air from her cheeks.

“How’s that going?”

“I don’t always hate it,” She remarked, averting her gaze again.

They sipped their smoothies in silence for a while as they slowly treaded back up the beach, and Chloe kept her eyes trained on the ground. It was the quietest Chloe Bourgeois had ever been, and several months ago, Alya would have savored every moment of that silence, but she was trying, and now that Alya was a hero, she felt a little obligated to give her a tiny benefit of the doubt.

“So, is this your weird way of trying to be my friend?” She asked slowly, cocking a brow, and Chloe’s spine stiffened.

“Would you actually want to be my friend?” Chloe winced, curling her shoulders a little. “We don’t exactly have the best history.”

“No, we don’t,” Alya agreed with a nod. “But ya know, I would have been your friend from the beginning if you hadn’t been so horrible to everyone.”

Chloe weighed that for a moment, sipping her smoothie thoughtfully until Alya prodded her with an elbow. “Whaddya say? I can put the past behind us if you can. Let’s be… _friends_.”

Chloe stopped short, cheeks flushing as she gripped her drink a little tighter. Alya watched her processing it for a moment before she took a deep breath and turned away.

“I have to think about it,” She said before quickly stalking away, leaving Alya a little confused in her wake.

“What was that about?” Nino mumbled, pacing up beside her with a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone.

“I’m pretty sure Chloe was trying to ask me to be her friend,” She chuckled, placing a hand on her hip. “It’s actually kind of fun to see her this way.”

“You should take advantage of this opportunity and get her back for some of the shit she’s done,” Nino suggested, licking his treat.

“Nah, I think she’s being hard enough on herself,” Alya said.

“Well, I’m just glad she’s gone. I can’t hang out with Adrien because he and Marinette will literally give me cavities, and I can’t hang out with you if Chloe’s glaring daggers at me the whole time. I really need to branch out,” He commented with a sigh.

“Why don’t you hang out with Lila?” Alya waggled her eyebrows, and Nino’s spine stiffened.

“Wha- I mean, why would I do something like that?” He asked with his tell-tale nervous laugh. Nino was so easy to read when it came to girls.

“Uh, because you like her.”

“I do no- That is totally not true!” He insisted, occupying himself with his ice cream and averting his gaze.

“I can read you like a book Lahiffe. I saw the way you looked at her during your group presentation. She’s still pretty new here, so ask her out. I’m sure she’ll say yes.” Alya rolled her eyes.

“Al, you know I can’t do that!” He hissed under his breath.

“Fine, I’ll help you. Just-”

“Watch out!” Before Alya could process what was happening, Queen Bee slammed into her side, lifting her feet from the ground as a golden beam flashed just where she had been standing, catching Nino in its wake.

“Nino!” Alya screeched as Queen Bee set her down on the bridge above.

“I-I could only save one of you. I’m sorry,” She said with a wince, and Alya felt her cheeks heat up and offered her a reassuring smile.

“It’s okay. Thank you. I know you guys will handle this thing soon, and Ladybug will set everything back to-” Alya’s voice cut short when Chat Noir’s staff rocketed between them, and they turned to see their two partners standing on the railing with golden eyes, Ladybug swinging her yoyo at her side in her token battle stance. Queen Bee instinctively moved in front of Alya protectively.

“You know, kitty, bees are an endangered species,” Ladybug cooed mockingly with a malicious grin.

“And it looks like they’re about to be extinct,” Chat grunted, extending his staff toward them once more, but with a flick of her wrist Queen Bee launched her smaller trompo at them, and in a flash of light, they froze in place.

“Run!” She ordered, shoving Alya toward the street where other citizens were fleeing the scene, and Alya dashed for the nearest secluded spot without looking back.

“We can’t leave her to fight them on her own. Trixx, transform me!”

When Rena Rouge rejoined the scene, Queen Bee was cornered by several enslaved citizens as well as their partners. The villain stood behind the throng, stroking her clam shell necklace with a sadistic smile.

“That must be where the akuma is,” She said to herself. _Alright. Time to help out._

She blew a few soft notes into her flute to summon copies of herself and Queen Bee before slinking around back. It was imperative that they work together on this one, and if they were lucky, they could outsmart Ladybug and Chat Noir long enough to get that necklace and free them from whatever spell they were under. Or so she hoped, but she didn’t have time to consider that probability right now. She had a bee to save.

“Hey, freaky-scales, up here!” Her ganger taunted, waving her arms atop the bridge.

While the others were distracted, Rena clamped a hand over Bee’s mouth and a double took her place as they took cover behind the ice cream stand. Relief flooded her face as she wrapped her arms around Rena’s neck gratefully, and she smiled, cheeks flushing as she took a moment to savor it, but they didn’t have time for cuddling.

“Okay, it’s going to take them all of like fifteen seconds to figure out those are fake, so we need a plan,” She whispered.

“She calls herself Siren and uses the shell to amplify her voice and control the others. The akuma has to be in that,” Bee replied. “I’ve already used my stinger, so all I have left is smoke bomb.”

“Okay, Ladybug is our biggest threat. Chat is pretty easy to throw off because mind-controlled or not, he’s still a bumbling dork, but LB, she worries me.” Rena tapped her chin in thought, peaking over the top to examine their surroundings. “Alright, what would Ladybug do…?”

Bee’s mask furrowed in a contemplative frown, and finally she shook her head. “No, not what Ladybug would do. What would _we_ do?”

“Huh?” She cocked a brow.

“Ladybug once told me not to try and imitate her, but to be my _own_ hero, and clearly what Ladybug would do won’t work because she got hypnotized just like everyone else. It’s just you and me standing right now, so what would Rena Rouge and Queen Bee do?” Rena searched her expression for a moment, resisting the strong urge to kiss her as a sly grin spread across her face.

“Well, your highness, what do we always do?” She said with a hint of mischief. “We wing it.”

A wide grin stretched across Bee’s lips, and they pressed their foreheads together, taking a deep breath before jumping out from behind their hiding place and charging in. They dodged past several citizens, and Rena tossed Nino into Theo, wincing apologetically when they collapsed in a heap of limbs. Dead ahead between them and Siren stood Chat Noir and Ladybug, ready to fight them head on.

“Bee!” Rena called out as she leaped over a charging Ivan’s head. “Smoke bomb!”

Bee followed her finger and nodded in understanding, palming her second trompo and launching it toward their companions. They both seemed to recognize it, bracing as it blew up in their face, shrouding them in a puff of yellow smoke. Rena didn’t waste any time as Bee lifted her up and glided over the cloud, dropping her right on their target, and she went down swinging, her flute slamming into the ground as Siren jumped back.

“Resisting is futile. I’ve already won! With Ladybug and Chat Noir under my control, their Miraculouses belong to Hawkmoth, and soon yours will too!” She chuckled darkly, and Rena rolled her eyes.

“I’m still standing, ya know,” She said with a grunt, lunging forward for the necklace, but Siren anticipated her and caught her wrist, flipping her over with ease.

“Catching your little friends was a breeze, what makes you think you can do any better?” She cooed, pinning Rena to the ground with her own flute.

“Because she has the best partner in the world,” Queen Bee declared proudly, and their heads snapped over to see Queen Bee standing triumphantly with all of Siren’s victims. “Looks like you’re not the only one with a little mind magic, Siren. I finally know what smoke bomb does.”

“And don’t think we’re going to fall for the same trick twice, Siren!” Ladybug said, cocking a hip.

“How did you break my siren’s call?” She growled, and Rena tucked her chin, tilting her head just enough to reach the mouth hole on her flute.

“By reuniting my team with a little help from pollen.” Bee winked.

“Yep, and now my suit smells like flowers,” Chat added, sniffing his glove thoughtfully.

“You can thank me later. Rena, would you be a dear?”

“But of course, my queen,” She said as another ganger tapped Siren’s shoulder, waving politely before ripping the necklace from her throat and tossing it to Ladybug.

“No!” Siren cried, as it crushed against Ladybug’s palms.

“Get out of here, you nasty bug,” Ladybug said, reaching for her yoyo. “I’m freeing you from evil!”

Queen Bee rushed to help Rena up as dark clouds washed away from Siren to reveal a young musician in her place. The two partners embraced in celebration while Ladybug’s magic reversed the damage, and their superiors approached with proud smiles.

“Thanks you two. If it weren’t for you, Hawkmoth would have our Miraculouses,” Ladybug praised appreciatively. “We owe you.”

“Nah, what are partners for?” Rena waved it away, curling her fist in preparation for their usual ritual.

“I don’t think Ladybug and I deserve that this round. This one was all you guys,” Chat Noir said, holding up a hand to stop her.

Queen Bee turned to her with a giddy smile, raising her fist in offering, but Rena had another idea. Tilting her head to one side, she quickly leaned in to peck Bee’s cheek, tucking her soft hair behind her ear gently and whispering,

“Bien Joué.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beach chapter! And more of Chloe being an awkward bean. And some AlyBee~ One more chapter to go! If you're ready for the finale read on!


	14. You're a Hero To Me

Chapter 14

Chloe laid in bed that evening, cupping her cheek with a tender smile on her lips. She and Rena had solved that akuma by themselves, and if it hadn’t been for her smoke bomb clearing Chat and Ladybug’s minds of that akuma magic, they would have been done for. Still, she was finding it difficult to focus on how amazing she was when her flesh still burned from one brief touch from Rena’s lips.

Her partner was someone immensely important to her, and someone she was deeply indebted to. After all, Rena was Queen Bee’s first friend, and she was Chloe’s first _new_ friend. They’d always flirted a little when they were together, and of course she found Rena attractive, but she hadn’t thought about acting on those feelings before now. Was it professional to date your superheroing partner? They didn’t even know each other’s identities, though Rena didn’t seem to care about that so much.

Chloe hadn’t really thought about it. She’d been too focused on improving herself and becoming someone worth loving to actually consider it, but now that she _was_ considering it…Rena had always believed in her, even when she didn’t believe in herself. She saw through her bravado and noticed the girl underneath trying her hardest to keep up. They laughed together, leaned on each other for support, counted on each other, trusted each other, and the more Chloe thought about it, the more her face burned.

With a moan, she rolled over to bury her face in her pillow, desperately fishing for something else to think about. Alya had asked to be her friend. She was _willing_ to be Chloe’s friend, a fact that had shocked Chloe so much she ran away. Why was she so awkward? Why couldn’t she be as comfortable with others as she was with Rena? With her, everything came so naturally. If only Alya could see her like that, then maybe things would be easier for them.

Her mind raced with the events of her day, the triumphs, the questions, the surprises, and Chloe watched the hours pass by on her bedside clock until eventually, she dozed off where her dreams were filled with cute, foxy partners and new friends.

x x x

The next morning, Alya woke before her alarm and stretched her limbs out wide with a satisfied groan. She was full of energy after that battle yesterday. Queen Bee was incredible, and seeing her blush after Rena kissed her on the cheek was certain to keep Alya in a good mood for the rest of the week. She couldn’t wait for the next time they got to see each other, a wish that got fulfilled later that morning after breakfast.

“…fire quickly engulfing the whole building…family trapped inside…” Alya glanced up at the news report, touching her necklace lightly before bolting from the table.

“I’ll be in my room…blogging, so don’t disturb me!” She called over her shoulder before, shutting her bedroom door quickly. “Trixx, we have to help out! Transform me!”

When she sprang up to the rooftops, she picked up the scent of smoke and followed it to the source where a crowd of news reporters, police, and firemen were gathering. When her feet touched the ground, Sabrina’s father looked at her gratefully.

“Rena Rouge! We need your help. People are still trapped inside this building, and the firemen are afraid the structure may collapse soon. Can you do anything?”

“We’re on it, Officer Roger,” Ladybug said, landing beside her followed by Chat Noir and Queen Bee.

Rena eyed her partner fondly for a moment before snapping back to the reality of the situation. She could flirt later; right now people’s lives were at stake.

“Split up!” Ladybug ordered once they were inside.

The heat from the flames scorched her cheeks, but she pressed on anyways, ears perked alertly as she listened for any sound of life inside. She detected a few faint coughs down the hall and discovered a mother crouched and cradling her two children. Their eyes met, and she gave Rena a pleading look.

“I’ll get you out of here,” She promised, kneeling beside her. “Can you stand up?”

“I’ve got your back.” Queen Bee appeared at her side, lifting the woman to her feet as Rena scooped up the children.

Ladybug and Chat Noir carried out another man and woman when Rena and Queen Bee surfaced and brought their victims to the others the firemen had rescued. Rena placed her hands on her knees and coughed the smoke from her lungs, sucking in fresh air gratefully, but Queen Bee still seemed uneasy.

“Is that everyone?” She asked the fire chief.

“That’s everyone documented as living in the building, yes.” He nodded in affirmation. “Let’s put her out!”

“Wait,” The little girl Rena had carried wheezed, holding out a small hand. “Maurice is still inside.”

“Who’s Maurice?” Roger asked, eyebrows raising in concern.

“He’s her cat, sir. Just a kitten,” The mother explained.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but if we don’t put the fire out now, the whole building will collapse,” The fire marshal said with an apologetic wince, and Queen Bee pursed her lips sourly, turning to face the flame-engulfed building.

Rena saw the determination on her face, and before she could stop her, Bee was charging inside again. “Bee, no!”

“Queen Bee!” Ladybug shouted, attempting to chase after her, but Chat caught her wrist.

“M’lady, the building can’t handle any more weight. You could make it worse,” He said with a frown.

“He’s right,” Rena added, clutching her hands over her heart. “Queen Bee is capable, and we have to trust her.”

They waited with bated breath for a couple minutes before the fire marshal signaled his men in with the hose, and Rena silently prayed for a miracle. She wished with all of her might to see that yellow and black suit running back through the door, but Queen Bee was nowhere in sight.

“Ready!” The fire marshal shouted, holding an arm in the air, and Rena held her breath.

Time seemed to stand still, but before his arm made the downward swing, Queen Bee burst through the upstairs window, sinking down quickly into Rena’s outstretched arms.

“I’ve got you,” She breathed in relief as they collapsed to the ground.

She cradled her head, smoothing and kissing her hair happily then cupping her cheek with a tearful smile. Queen Bee smiled up at her, shifting to uncover the tiny orange cat in her arms, and Rena leaned her head against Bee’s forehead, shoulders shaking as she laughed.

“Maurice!” The little girl cried out, and Bee surrendered him into her tight embrace. “Thank you, Queen Bee!”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled softly as the girl nuzzled him lovingly.

“Let’s get him some oxygen, sweetie,” Her mother instructed gently, guiding her over to the ambulance.

“That was reckless,” Ladybug scolded, placing her hands on her hips. “That was stupid and careless and-”

“That was heroic,” Rena said, cutting her off, and Ladybug deflated a little. “It was selfless and brave.”

“You had us all worried,” Chat said, placing a hand on Ladybug’s shoulders reassuringly.

“I didn’t want that little girl to lose something important to her,” Bee croaked, sitting forward and coughing raggedly.

“Come on. Let’s get you some fresh air,” Rena said softly, helping her to her feet and wrapping her arms around her waist.

Rena stayed by her side in the back of the ambulance while Bee held an oxygen mask to her face, taking slow, deep breaths. She’d never looked more beautiful to Rena, and she took her free hand and stroked the back of her palm gently.

“You had me really worried, bumblebee,” She said with a short laugh.

“I’m sorry.” Bee winced apologetically.

“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re alright.” She gave her hand a soft squeeze. “It just made me think of how important you are to me. I don’t want to lose you…You’re my partner, Bee.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Bee said with a grunt, leaning her head back.

“I know. You’re stubborn and a fighter,” Rena chuckled, tucking a strand of her blonde hair from her face. “It’s one of the things I love about you.”

At that, Bee’s cheeks flushed, and she leaned forward, coughing and hacking into the mask while Rena patted her back. Rena bit back a smile, her own cheeks a little warm, but she ran her fingers through Bee’s hair gently while she recovered.

“You love me? Even though you don’t know who I am?” Bee asked with wide eyes.

“Of course. You’ve proven to me time and time again that you’re dependable and trustworthy, so it doesn’t matter to me who you are. I can see that you’ve got a good heart, and I love you, Queen Bee.”

Her face flushed, and she pursed her lips pensively, cupping her cheeks in her hands. After a moment, she seemed to come to a decision, and she turned to Rena with a determined expression.

“I don’t like the thought of keeping myself from you. If we’re going to be together, I want you to know the real me, so you can decide for yourself if she’s someone you really love, and I’d like to do the same for you,” She said, and Rena’s heart sped up excitedly.

“Then let’s go.”

Hand-in-hand, they slipped from the truck and escaped around the corner and up into the rooftops. Ladybug would have surely killed them if she found out, but as they sped across the roofs of Paris, their partners were nowhere in sight. Besides, the decision was their own, so regardless of what their partners or kwamis thought, they were going to be together. No masks. No secrets.

 Rena followed after Bee until they landed safely on the secluded deck at the Grand Paris, and Bee finally turned to her, shoulders tense. They locked eyes for a moment, exchanging nervous smiles and breathy laughs.

“So, who should go first?” She asked, and Rena took her hands.

“I will,” She said with a smile. “Detransformation.”

Queen Bee’s eyes widened when Alya tucked her necklace into her shirt and smiled. Cupping a hand over her mouth, she turned around to hide her face, curling into a tiny ball on the ground.

“Why do I fucking bother telling you anything?” Trixx groaned, smacking her forehead.

“What’s wrong, queenie? Are you upset with me?” Alya asked, and Bee shook her head. “Then what’s the matter?”

“I’m afraid you won’t like who I am,” She mumbled finally, and Alya placed a hand on her back.

“Impossible. I already love you, so it doesn’t matter to me. Show me.” Queen Bee peaked up at her with a grimace, and Alya offered her an encouraging smile.

With a small sigh, Queen Bee uttered the same phrase, dropping her walls, her secrets, her mask and revealing herself despite her fear of rejection. Perhaps Rena Rouge being Alya was a blessing; Chloe didn’t know for sure, but she was willing to give it a shot. Because she got what she’d wished for after all. For Alya to see her as more than just Chloe Bourgeois. Because it was Alya who had been by her side all along. It was Alya who had helped her through her rough patch in the beginning, who had spent long hours training with her, calling her silly nicknames. It was Alya who had been her partner and most importantly her friend.

So when Chloe blinked open her eyes, she met Alya’s gaze head-on, and she found that Alya didn’t flinch away from her or scowl in disgust like she might have several months ago. They stood in silence for a long moment, gazes locked as they processed the face staring back at them before Alya stepped forward and took Chloe’s face in her hands, touching her lips to hers softly. Chloe gasped in surprise, face burning scarlet as Alya wrapped her arms around her.

That certainly wasn’t what she expected.

“Told you it didn’t matter, honey bee,” Alya said with one of those crooked smiles, and Chloe blinked in shock.

“Y-You just…just like that? You’re not- you don’t- but we… _hated_ each other!” She stammered, and Alya threw her head back with a laugh.

“Yeah, but we’re friends now, remember?” She replied with a teasing lilt.

“W-Well, I never agreed to be _your_ friend. I mean, I was going to, but…” Her voice trailed off when Alya stifled another laugh. “You’re really still in love with me?”

“You’re still Queen Bee, aren’t you?” Alya cocked a brow, and Chloe touched the comb in her hair. “I think you’ve more than proven that you’re capable of being selfless, and now you have me to help everyone else see it too. If you want to be with me, that is.”

“I…love you too,” Chloe choked out. “And I want to keep getting better so that you never remember who I used to be.”

“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” Alya said, taking her hands in her own and giving them a gentle squeeze.

“Yeah. And we still have a long way to go.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epilogue

“I don’t think I can do this…” Chloe mumbled, stretching up on her toes to peak through the window of their new classroom.

“Nuh uh, girl. We’ve been practicing all summer. You got this.” Alya shook her head and placed reassuring hands on her shoulders.

Chloe took a deep breath, wiping her palms on her pants and rolling her shoulders. She could do this. Alya had been giving her advice and guiding her all summer, though most of the time they just ended up making out on her couch, but that was irrelevant. Things were different now; _she_ was different, and today was her first step toward showing that to everyone else. They’d been keeping their relationship on the down-low, but today they weren’t going to hide it.

Chloe’s stomach was a pit of nerves, and Alya seemed to sense this so she cupped her cheek softly, offering one of her warm smiles. “I’ll be right by your side the whole time, okay?”

“Can you do the thing?” Chloe asked softly.

“Which thing? We have a lot of things, but I assume you mean a safe for public thing,” Alya said pointedly, and Chloe felt her cheeks flush.

“Yes, it’s safe for public, Alya, oh my gosh, why would I ask for that?” She hissed under her breath as Alya cupped a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. “The good luck thing we always do before akuma battles.”

“Oh! _That_ thing. Yeah, totally.” Alya waved it away.

Chloe’s spine straightened a little as Alya leaned in and pressed her lips to Chloe’s with a soft giggle. Closing her eyes, Chloe wrapped her arms around Alya’s neck and leaned into it, pulling strength from her touch before pulling away with a clarifying breath. Alya offered her a loving smile, planting another soft kiss on her nose.

“One more for extra luck,” She whispered, nuzzling her nose. “Are you ready, queenie?”

“So long as I have you, I’m ready for anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all she wrote~  
> I feel like a lot of things in this fic were kind of rushed, but I did write it in a few months without reader feedback, so it is what it is. If I had been a bit more diligent and had less going on and more time, I probably would have pushed the reveal back a chapter to build up to it more, but ayyy, that's part of the challenge. Hopefully you enjoyed it anyways.  
> I'm really glad that I was able to participate all the way through this challenge, and I had loads of fun doing it! I met a lot of new, awesome people who gave me more ideas for fics than I know what to do with, and hopefully you go and check out the other works in this collection when they get posted because everyone has worked super hard since July, and I know their fics are going to be amazing! I also wanna thank all the mods who ran this shindig from the very beginning, you all have been awesome and super helpful! Also extra thanks to my beta and responder even though we were all crazy busy with real life throughout this, I still love you guys. Be sure to follow them on tumblr, the links are in the opening notes of the first chapter, and be sure to follow me on tumblr as well (purrincess-chat) and click on my username for more things that I have done. I write a lot of random ships as well as love square stuff if you're more into that. Depending on when this gets posted I will either be doing Crackmas or be finished with Crackmas, so either way expect to see a lot of cracks in my works. I hope you all have/had a wonderful holiday season, and hopefully I'll see you guys in the future!
> 
> PS Kudos to the first person to find the subliminal message I hid in the chapter titles. I'll give you a hint: read the first letter of every chapter.


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